Balance
by Princess Twila
Summary: Everything has its counterpart. I am here to bring the balance. I am the Golden Warrior. This is my story of how I became joined to the Medicine Seller. Told from the Warrior's p.o.v. Warnings: Violence, rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

Balance

Summary: So I have taken it upon myself to describe how the Medicine Seller and his golden warrior counterpart were initially joined. This is based off of the original Mononoke TV series from 2007, not the second series where he joins up with Kayo and all that stuff.

Told from the golden warrior's point of view.

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><p>For every bad, there is a good.<p>

For every wrong, there is a right.

For every coward, there is a warrior.

For every darkness, there is a light.

Long have I known this to be true. The sense of balance has always been around me and within me. I am the epitome of balance. I am the warrior against the Mononoke.

Balance has played a great role throughout the many cultures. The Chinese have the yin-yang, their symbol of how opposites can coincide together. The Greeks had their goddess of balance, Themis, who was depicted as being entirely separate from justice but only the sense of balance in the world. In my culture, the Mononoke come back to avenge themselves, and in order to combat them, I am needed to balance the destruction they wreak and send them back to the afterlife.

I have existed since the first Mononoke was ever created. As soon as spirits began crossing back to this life from the afterlife, I awoke and began combating them. Of course, it is our nature in this life to destroy each other; that is the balance of things. In our other life, we exist together without the destruction, as was pre-ordained. We can exist together in this life, but we cannot live with each other complacently. We belong to another life, and since the balance in this life was disrupted, we can only return to our natural life when the balance in this life has been righted.

It used to be that I roamed the face of your planet in my own form. That was so long ago. As your world grew more and more populous and the violent tendencies of man became more and more common, Mononoke began streaming into this world and life in greater and greater numbers. My true form attracts Mononoke into battle just as their form attracts me. I am a powerful warrior, but even I nearly could not survive as the numbers of Mononoke seeking me out increased. Thus I began searching for a human vessel within which I could reside, thus hiding my true form and ensuring that I would live on for millennia to preserve the balance of this world.

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><p>So here's chapter 1...sorry it's so short! Further chapters should be longer.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Balance

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><p>I panted, nostrils flared. Sweat ran in rivulets from my body, and the golden paint on my face and arms glowed brightly in the aftermath of the battle. I stood up from my crouching position and looked at the sword in my left hand. The dragon at its head was slowly closing its maw, having finished channeling the essence of the defeated Mononoke from this life back to theirs and my natural life. I shuddered; this battle had been a close one. I had to keep moving lest I attract more Mononoke to this area. I turned to leave.<p>

And saw a small boy gaping at me from the bushes.

I whirled at him, extending my sword. My senses were still screaming with adrenaline even though my inner eye identified the boy as mortal. He and I locked eyes, and fear was reflected in both of our gazes. I stiffly lowered my sword back to my side. I was not here to harm this boy; I was here to protect him, even if he did not know it.

The boy was dressed in a simple light blue uwangi and darker blue hakama, and a purple headscarf barely succeeded in pulling back his silvery blonde hair. He looked at me with knowing blue eyes, the fear receding as curiosity won over.

"You are not like them," he said in a light voice. Judging by the pitch of his voice and his height and build, I put him at the age of 10 or 11, though his proud stature and air of maturity would otherwise deceive.

"You feel the same way that they do, but you do not seem like them," he continued, creeping out of his leafy hiding place. I watched him, entranced. I had never before encountered any of the people here whose existence I was protecting; I merely sought out the Mononoke without interacting.

"They have a bad feeling to them, like an illness or plague; you feel like…," he thought for a moment, "…life." I was fascinated by his comparison. Then I realized that he somehow knew what I was; maybe he did not know exactly what I was, but he knew that I was different. More importantly, he could sense the Mononoke. My attention snapped into focus.

"You should not be here," I said, my deep voice reverberating with power. Fear crept back into the boy's features at the sound of my voice. I had to make this boy understand that it was not safe for him to be near me; already I could sense more Mononoke coming, drawn like moths to the light. Though they were yet far away, they would not be for long.

"Just…leave," I finished, unable to find a better way to word things. Stress for my next battle was shortening my temper. With a last glance at the boy, I turned and fled, allowing my speed to carry me far away from the boy and leading the Mononoke away from such a delicate existence.

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><p>Ooooh...was I too obvious or was it just enough to peak your interest? Submit a review! Chapters should be getting longer and longer, and I have finally decided to include some yaoi; it's not anime without it ;D<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Balance

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><p>I sat in the clearing, legs crossed in the meditative position and hands curled in a relaxed position and resting on my knees. My golden eyes were closed, and a light wind ruffled my snowy hair. My heart was calm beneath my golden kimono, and my sword rested across my lap.<p>

"_Aiaha, Mononoke, woan le sezayi karaguan miheyanu ashaia. Ke gesezui ceregara." Come, Mononoke, let your debts be settled with me. I am alone and waiting._ I kept chanting and repeating this phrase over and over again in an ancient language only known to those of my world. The words flowed from my tongue and were carried on the whisper of the winds.

The sword on my lap stirred, the dragon's maw stretching in anticipation as a series of colored lights circled. The lights were invisible to the naked eye, but to my inner eye they shone like multicolored beacons. There were twelve of them that had been drawn not only to my chanting but to my very aura. Keeping my outer eyes closed – they would do me no good in the upcoming battle as these Mononoke were all powerful enough to have an insubstantial form – I stood. I extended my left arm in front of me, holding my dragon sword horizontally in front of me. A collective hiss resounded from the Mononoke at the sight of this. I slowly took my stance, waiting and breathing deeply.

"You know nothing of our purpose here; we are unavenged. It is just for us to take from those that which they took from us!" their collective voice cried out. "Leave us be, and we will return to our world after the balance has been restored." Their deceptive words spoke to the doubts in my head about what it would be like to go back to the other world and live in peace. But deep, deep down, I knew that I could never give up; the balance could only be restored not through my defeat, but through my victory.

"The balance was disrupted when you crossed into this world; the righting of the balance will only come when we are all locked away in the afterlife. Leave this world alone." I spoke with the courage that thrummed deep inside me. I spoke of what I knew was right, and as the warrior against the Mononoke, I would always fight for what was right. However, my answer brought displeasure to the spirits; they began circling with a greater frenzy, their hissing increasing in volume and the lights blending in color.

And with the speed of lightning, they attacked, swirling in an arc around to my right side where it would be more difficult for me to defend against their attacks. I whirled in the opposite direction, bringing my sword to the left in a slashing motion. My sword connected with two of the glowing orbs, and they exploded into a thousand particles of color. The dragon on the sword's head opened its maw to its fullest extent in order to channel the defeated spirits back to the afterlife. The remaining spirits scattered before rushing me from all directions. I took a deep breath before leaping into the air and somersaulting over the ones at my back, being sure to slash them with my sword as I came down from the air. I landed heavily before spinning again to strike the ones still coming at me.

Spinning into a more complex series of moves that would give me a more offensive edge and put the spirits on the defensive, I whirled and crouched and flowed through the midst of the spirits, pushing them farther and farther away from the center of the clearing and out towards the edges. One of the spirits managed to brush against my sword arm, and an angry red gash opened in my bronze skin. I groaned at the pain as blood began sheeting off of my arm and onto my hand, making the sword slip in my grasp. I scowled and switched to my right hand before re-assuming the offensive. With a new urgency I rushed the remaining five spirits, blocking out the throbbing of my left forearm and concentrating on eliminating the Mononoke.

With a final slash of my sword, it was over.

My eyes remained closed, and I expanded the limits of my inner eye to search for any remaining auras. Stretching my sight as far as it would go, I found that I was alone; I had defeated the Mononoke. Finally opening my eyes, I looked down at the sword still in my right hand; the dragon's maw was opened greedily, devouring the thousands of glowing particles that were the remnants of the Mononoke I had defeated. Then I looked at my left arm and hissed at the sight that greeted me. The Mononoke that had gotten past my guard had sliced not only the skin but severed the muscle, though not down to the bone. The gash snaked across the top half of my forearm, perpendicular to the bone. The edges were turning green as the Mononoke's poison seeped into the cut. My nostrils flared at the metallic smell of my blood.

Reaching into my waistband, I pulled out a crystal vial, popping the cork with my teeth and drinking the golden contents. I gasped as the liquid seared my esophagus, the heat spreading quickly from my core out to my extremities. I threw my head back in a silent howl and my hair stood on end. The heat finally targeted my left forearm, and I shuddered as I felt the muscle knit back together and new skin form over the wound. When my wound had been healed, the heat left me as suddenly as it had come upon me, and I collapsed to the ground, feeling suddenly cold. Shaking, I looked at the vial again and watched as the golden liquid replicated itself to refill the vial. Capping the vial and slipping it back into my waistband, I stood up and retrieved my sword. I checked again with my inner eye that I could no longer sense any Mononoke within my vicinity – my inner eye could reach over one hundred kilometers – I was now free to focus on what had been intriguing me since I first met him: the little boy in blue.

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><p>So now we will be travelling back to the boy our golden warrior met in chapter 2...please R&amp;R!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Balance

Several miles away from the village, I concentrated upon my essence and shimmered out of the visible spectrum. There was no need for me to frighten the village's inhabitants by assuming my visible form, and I also wanted to be as stealthy as possible. Resuming my earlier pace, I continued thinking about the little boy in blue. Who was he? How could he sense my essence? How could he sense the essences of the Mononoke?

The sun was setting behind the mountains as I topped the hill looking down on the village. It was medium-sized, organized in a crescent shape around a central well and patch of dirt – probably for town meetings and sparring practice, if the militarization of the town was anything to judge by –, and well-lit. A river quietly journeyed along the western edge of the town, and the remaining sides were protected by a semi-high wall patrolled by one or two sentries. The village seemed to be well-prepared for an attack if one should come, but the sprawling farms outside of the walls and the lack of heavy reinforcements showed that the town was currently at peace.

A sudden sparkle on a mountain to the north of the village caught my eye, and I saw a grandiose temple halfway up the slope. A series of smaller buildings ranged around the back of the temple was where the acolytes and priests most likely resided. Judging from the structure and ornamentation on the temple, it was a warrior's temple. The sparkle that had caught my attention came from a procession of young boys – all dressed in the same light blue uwangis and darker blue hakamas as the little boy from earlier – carrying large bells up the cobblestone path leading up to the temple. I was surprised and appalled that I had not heard the bells earlier; the two battles from earlier were beginning to take their toll, and I would need to find a safe place to rest and recover.

I paced around the rim of the valley in the direction of the temple, and by the time I peered through the foliage by the temple the procession of boys was approaching the doors. I sharpened my eyesight to better see the individual faces of the boys from where I was, and it was not long before I picked out a purple headscarf struggling to hold back silvery blonde hair and the unforgettable face that accompanied it. The boy was one of the smaller ones there, and he was near the back of the procession. The boys at the front were extremely muscular and – if their appearances were anything to judge by – about 16 years old. The younger ones were near the back, and no one seemed to be younger than 8. There were twenty boys in all.

I watched as the procession filed into the temple, and with my enhanced hearing I could hear the gentle scrape of bell racks on stone and the quiet murmuring of priests saying the evening incantations. After several moments the acolytes filed out a side door and dispersed to the cabins. Sneaking around the perimeter of the foliage of the mountain, I followed the boy with the headscarf to his cabin. Remaining in my invisible form, though I was tiring much more quickly trying to keep up my illusion, I listened outside of the window. I was soon able to pick out the boy's light voice from the three others in the cabin.

"I saw a man on the mountain today," he said. A slightly lower voice replied to him that there were many men who traversed the mountain.

"No, not a human man," he clarified. The boys in the cabin went still.

"He was dressed all in gold, he had this maroon sword decorated with many colors and a white bearded dragon at the hilt, and his eyes…they weren't like human eyes. They were all gold, to start with, and the pupils were black and slit-like, like a cat's. He also didn't _feel_ like a human; he was like a star, something that interacts with us but is not part of our world."

"Have you told the Father about this?" a gravelly voice asked. Someone snorted in response.

"You remember what happened last time Aia went to the Father with stories like this," the first boy replied. The boys all snickered.

A sudden knock at the door reduced the boys to silence. A deep voice said, "Good night, boys. Pray to The Warrior to watch over you as you rest."

"Yes, Father," the boys chorused. The light in the window darkened as the lamp in the room was extinguished. The boys resumed conversing after some time, though this time it was in whispers and no longer concerning the boy Aia's experience from earlier.

I released my pent-up breath, realizing how tired I was. I resumed my visible form shakily and, leaning against the wall, sank down into a sitting position. The cold was beginning to irritate me, and I needed to find a place to recover for at least a whole day. Glancing all around me, I sped towards the foliage and travelled farther down the mountain in a westerly direction. Upon finding a small rocky cave, I crawled inside with several long leaves I had picked as I ran and rolled one into a headrest, laying four down to function as a mat. I pulled a vial out of my waistband and, pouring some of the crystals into my palm, sprinkled them in a circle around my resting area. Satisfied, I laid down on my makeshift mat and, draping the remaining leaves across my form, finally drifted into a dreamless sleep.

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><p>Sorry about the delay...this chapter did not want to be written! I get a feeling that the next chapter will be like that until I can get the story back to pace. Once again, feel free to review!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Balance

I awoke from my slumber, refreshed and renewed. Upon opening my eyes I noticed a faint sliver of sunlight streaming through the crack that was the entrance to my little cave. The cold morning air was slowly seeping through my blanket of leaves, and I shivered slightly before resolving to start moving to warm myself up. As a creature not of this world, I have no need of sustenance other than sleep since there is nothing in this world that would supplement my needs. Also, I need not keep track of time since I am endless as long as there are Mononoke coming over from my world into this world. Thus it does not matter to me how long I might sleep.

Crawling out of my cave, I faced the direction of the sun rising above the mountaintops in the east and began the _Hav'ar Anca_, my relaxing stretches. I rolled my shoulders languidly before meeting my hands and feet while bending my body in half backwards. Flowing through the rest of the poses, I was sufficiently warmed up and relaxed by the time I finished. Returning my thoughts to the boy in blue, whose name I now knew to be Aia, I resolved to spy on the boy until I could figure out his source of information.

Within moments, I found myself at the temple, returned to my invisible form, and I watched as the acolytes and priests performed their morning activities. I was quick to spot Aia, since he was the only one with a purple headscarf. The acolytes then each gathered up a basket given to them by a stately priest I could only assume to be the Father that Aia and the other acolytes in his cabin had spoken about, and each acolyte retrieved a sword from his cabin before setting out, each acolyte by himself, into the woods on the mountain. I wondered what sort of exercise this might be, and silently slipped through the foliage to follow Aia at a distance.

Aia followed a path that only he seemed to know about for what seemed to be several hours. When he stopped, I saw that it was at the same spot where I had first encountered him after my battle with the Mononoke. I silently crept closer until I was approximately ten meters from him. I watched as he opened up his basket, revealing a flint and striker, some assorted herbs, a short dagger, some bandages and a needle and thread, and an assortment of some unique instruments that I had never set eyes upon before, and I had roamed this Earth for several thousand years. They were a golden color, shaped like a spearhead with wings, decorated in pastel blue and purple and having bells at the extended tip of each wing.

As I was watching, Aia tensed before whipping his head up and unsheathing his sword which had been strapped across his back. He stood up warily and scanned the woods around him. Upon seeing nothing, he went back to his basket and withdrew the instruments. He threw them up in the air and they fell downward to settle upright on the ground, each tilting in the same direction. I moved to get a better look at them, and they moved with me. I stilled, and they remained motionless. I moved again, and they moved with me, the bells tinkling. Aia followed the direction the scales pointed in and looked straight at me, though he could not see me. I inhaled sharply at this before stepping forward and shimmering into visibility.

Aia gasped upon finally seeing me with his eyes and took an involuntary step backwards. I held out my hands away from my sides to show him that I did not intend to harm him. He blinked several times at me before whispering, "You came back." I could only nod my head at him. I could see him gathering up his courage as he thought about what to say next.

"I don't know what you are or what your purpose is, but I would like to learn from you," he finally said. I blanched; how could a mortal learn to do what I do? He saw my expression and his face became set in a mask of determination. "You owe it to me for running off on me," he said stubbornly. I nearly laughed at this before coming forward a few more steps and sitting on the ground. He hesitated and finally sat down next to me.

"You ask of things that no man has ever witnessed and lived to tell the tale of before," I began in my deep voice. Our language barrier was not a problem since I was fluent, having lived around his kind for millennia. "You have, of course, heard of creatures called Mononoke?" I asked. He nodded in response.

"And you have also learned of the balance of life?" I questioned. He nodded again.

"I am the force that balances out the Mononoke. Neither of us are of this world; we belong to the life after this one. But since they have broken the barrier that separates our worlds, I am here to combat the destruction that they cause in this world. Hence why I felt different from them while still being like them," I said, referencing the first time we had met.

He looked down towards the ground for a moment before looking back up at me. "So when I first saw you, you had just defeated them?" he asked. I nodded in response. He peered at my waistband when he saw my dragon-headed sword poking out. He looked back up at my face before asking, "What is that?"

I withdrew the maroon sword and sheath from my waistband. He gasped at the snowy beard and mane the dragon bore, tracing his fingers over the jewels encrusted upon the sheath. The bell attached to the dragon's mane jingled as I withdrew the sword from its sheath, allowing the cold metal to catch the sunlight and reflect it across both of our faces. Luckily the boy knew better than to touch the metal, and satisfied himself with merely looking at it.

"The metal of the blade has the power to sever the Mononoke's connection to this world," I explained, "and the dragon at the head acts as a gateway to channel the Mononoke's essence back to the world it belongs in." I was surprised that he did not look the least bit skeptical; rather, he seemed to accept it. He must have sensed how I felt, because he said, "I've known that Mononoke existed for a long time…I guess I've always believed that we wouldn't be completely abandoned to their destruction." I peered closer at the boy, whose face now seemed to be lined with a maturity that I knew was far too advanced for a boy his age. I wondered what had happened to him to make him believe in Mononoke and if that was perhaps why he seemed so much older than he really was.

"What happened?" I asked gently. His nostrils flared and his hands clenched, but he spoke anyways.

"When I was very little, maybe only five years old or so, my parents were killed. I was with them at the time, and I don't know why I was spared. All I remember is hearing this insane laughter and watching my parents die…I remember blood, their blood, soaking the ground as I heard a voice say that they had gotten what they deserved and that I would be spared, though the voice did not say why. I felt a shiver pass through me, and it felt like I was on fire; I could actually sense the presence of this creature, a creature not of my world, and it felt horrible and evil and I remember screaming…when I woke up, I found that my fate had been decided, that I was to become a warrior since I had no parents to care for me anymore, and ever since then, I have been able to sense these creatures. It took me a while to realize that they were Mononoke."

He turned his blue eyes to me. "And then the other day I met you. You felt exactly like them, but different at the same time. I don't think that I have to fear you," he said slowly.

I was astonished at the boy. Never had I heard of a mortal being able to sense a Mononoke before, but then again, I had never heard of the Mononoke sparing a victim, even if the victim was not an object of revenge but merely happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I'm sorry," I whispered, genuinely feeling sorry for a boy whose life had been destroyed by those whom I battled. I reached out my hand, placing it on the ground between us, the golden paint on my arms glittering in the light filtering through the clearing. He blinked a few more times at me before placing his small pale hand on top of my own, smiling.


	6. Chapter 6

Balance

I withdrew my hand from under his, though my gaze never left his face. He shifted uncomfortably for a bit before gesturing to the instruments – which I now realized were scales – which flew back to him, landing at his feet in a neat pile. The gentle clinking of the bells reminded me of my interest in them, and I reached my hand out towards them. Quickly withdrawing my hand, I asked him, "May I?" He nodded, and I gingerly picked one up, studying it from all angles. I frowned as my fingers touched the cold metal; I could sense the essence of Mononoke within them. I looked at him again.

"Where did you get these?" I asked him urgently.

"I made them," he replied simply. I inhaled sharply. "I bought the scales from the local craftsman, and after your battle with the Mononoke that I witnessed, I found some leftover fragments of the Mononoke's essence left on the ground. The fragments seemed to attract each other, so I wanted to see if I could find a way to alert myself to the exact location of the Mononoke. I made up an enchantment of sorts to bind the Mononoke's essence to the metal, and while the fragments no longer attracted each other, they are still attracted to the non-bound essence of a Mononoke. Apparently it even works with your essence, even though you are not a Mononoke. The scales tilt in the direction that the Mononoke is, which is helpful to me because while I can sense the presence of a Mononoke, I cannot actually tell its position."

I was astonished at how resourceful and clever the boy was. He understood the Mononoke almost as much as I did. I handed the scale back to him, and he packed it with the others into his basket.

"Why do you do this?" I asked him.

"I want to know," he answered simply. "I want to know what killed my parents and why they were killed. I want to know if there are other Mononoke out there. And I want to know if I can stop what happened to me from happening to anyone else." I was humbled by Aia's selflessness and maturity; instead of dwelling upon his own misfortune, he wished to know if there was any way he could prevent his misfortune from befalling others. Knowing this made me feel incredibly guilty for not finding the Mononoke that had stolen from him a better life. I felt that I could at least give him some answers.

My gaze had dropped to my feet, and I finally lifted it back up to his face. He did not flinch as my amber gaze bored into his ice blue eyes. "I can help you with your answers," I whispered.

"I do not know if you know this about Mononoke, but they come back to this life in order to avenge themselves. Sometimes their quest for revenge is justified, but more often than not the correct form of justice has been so warped by their anger that they involve innocents in their quest for revenge. Hence why I bear the Sword of Exorcism, to sever a spirit's ties to this world. A word of caution, though: the blade does not exclude a spirit within a mortal body. My spirit is excluded since my spirit is unlike the human spirit, which has the potential to turn into a Mononoke.

"With the Sword of Exorcism, I do my utmost to protect people like your parents who are the targets of Mononoke. Unfortunately, there is only one of me, and there are many thousands of Mononoke. It has become difficult over the years to keep the balance in check, and I find myself outnumbered in many cases. However, I must keep fighting; it is the balance of things."

Aia was looking at me in awe. "So you are a warrior, too?" he asked. I looked at him in slight confusion. Upon seeing this, he launched into his own story.

"I don't know how old I was at the time, but like I said, my parents were killed by Mononoke. The village I come from took it as a terrorist attack, and as a victim I was offered charity. I was hospitalized for a long time since they believed I was hallucinating; I know now that I was merely experiencing the aftereffects of whatever the Mononoke did to me so that I could now sense them. My hallucinations eventually died away, and it was as if I woke up from a dream. Once they saw that I was all better, the villagers enrolled me in the Warriors' Temple since no family was willing to take me in and I had no means of supporting myself. I have been training as a warrior ever since, but from time to time I still sense the Mononoke. I've tried to tell the Father – he's the chief warrior priest at the Temple – about it, but he dismissed it as the ravings of a lunatic. I don't really tell anyone about what I sense anymore, except for the other boys I stay with; even then, some of them still make fun of me."

He gave a small pause before continuing. "I don't want to be a warrior, though. I mean, not the kind of warrior that I am expected to be. At the Temple, we are training to protect our village. We used to be attacked on so frequent a basis that we were forced to become militarized; we don't necessarily have to train at the Temple, but at least one boy from every family is expected to join the military. Since I was the only one left in my family after the attack, I was forced against my will. What I really want to do is study medicine." At this he blushed and continued talking, albeit more quietly. "I know that it is helpful to have the training that I have, especially since this area can be quite dangerous, but it is not what I want to do with my life. I can't desert; I would be hunted down and killed. Thus I live at the Temple."

"If the area is so dangerous, why are you out here alone?" I asked.

"We are expected to survive for three days on our own here in the wilderness, no matter what level of training we have," he said. "The last time I saw you was the third day in our most recent excursions. We have them once every month."

A _month_! My head reeled. It was not possible that I had stayed asleep that long…yet, here was Aia, inadvertently telling me that it was so. That meant that for a month, more and more Mononoke had been coming into this world…and those left in this world had had a month to grow in strength. Aia saw the alarm on my face.

"What is wrong?" he asked urgently. But at that point in time, I had more important things on my mind. There were Mononoke coming right to where we were.

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><p>lol, please don't hate me, but I do love cliffhangers...get ready for chapter 7! What will happen if the Golden Warrior can't get Aia away in time?<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

**Balance**

"Aia, run!" I hissed frantically. His eyes widened at my knowledge of his name, and his face set into a stubborn scowl.

"How do you know my name?" he asked. I groaned in frustration and grabbed him by his thin shoulders.

"I promise I will tell you. But for now, you have to get away from here! There are Mononoke coming!" I cried, gently shaking his shoulders for emphasis. His eyes widened even more, but he shook his head obstinately.

"No!" he cried out. "I may not want to be one, but I am a warrior! I can help you!"

"Aia, there is no way that you can help me! You would be defenseless against them!" Fear crept into my voice as the Mononoke steadily came closer. It was too late to run away from Aia; the Mononoke would want to know why I ran so suddenly from where I was and would possibly come here first. My brain raced as I tried to think of a way to save Aia.

Meanwhile, Aia slipped out of my grasp and fished around in his basket. Finding what he wanted, he pulled out a stack of what appeared to be wafer-thin papers, each with a large closed black eye on them. Keeping them in his hand, he reached back into the basket to pull out the scales, throwing them into the air to settle on the ground. The bells tinkled urgently and the scales all tipped in a westerly direction, the exact direction that my inner eye sensed the Mononoke coming at me. He divided the pile of papers evenly between his two hands before looking at me once more, determination set in his blue eyes. Tucking his wayward wheat-colored hair behind his ears, he said, "I want to help. I've had this warrior training, now let me use it!"

With a sound like rushing wind, the group of Mononoke crossed over the rim of the far side of the valley; they would be upon us in less than a minute. My sword was already awakening, hissing gently with the bell clinking. I reached into my waistband, pulling out the vial of crystals. I quickly sprinkled some in a circle around Aia before capping it and returning it to my waistband. "Stay within the circle; it will help keep you safe," I pleaded with him. His nostrils flared in indignation, but he did not question my judgment and nodded. Feeling slightly better, I slid my sword from its sheath and mentally prepared myself in the seconds remaining.

Rushing towards us with a wind that whipped our hair into a frenzy, the group of twenty Mononoke crested the ledge and circled around us, panting slightly. These Mononoke were all within the visible spectrum, and took the forms of humans with animal heads. Aia muttered something under his breath; all I caught was "Katachi: the form of a beast," over the occasional howls the Mononoke released. The Mononoke must have heard him too, for it was only then that their attention shifted to him.

"A mortal!" they hissed collectively. I stiffened and edged protectively towards Aia. His icy eyes were wide and fearful as he surveyed the spirits around us.

"What is your business here?" I spat, gathering my energies around myself like a cloak. The gold paint on my arms was nearly blinding, and the dragon's maw was nearly fully open.

"We come to eradicate you," they answered menacingly. "We do not need you meddling in our unfinished business. Also, we can eradicate the witness after we finish with you." I snarled at them for threatening Aia.

With that, I launched myself at the Mononoke, striking one on the head and another on the shoulder as the ones closest to those two scattered away from my sword. The two spirits I had struck exploded into a rainbow of fragments and I charged at the next group of Mononoke that had leapt at Aia. Luckily my crystalline barrier kept him safe, and the Mononoke rebounded off of an invisible barrier, howling. I wasted no time in eliminating them, regaining my balance and whirling to face the remaining eleven Mononoke that had regrouped by the edge of the clearing. I gave another feral snarl and leapt at them, striking two in a complicated twisting move. I instinctively ducked as one dove at my head, and I rammed my sword into its belly as it passed over my head. Returning to my post in front of Aia, I dared them with my gaze to come at me and challenge me.

Growling, three of the Mononoke rushed my weak side while two more rushed my strong side. At the last moment I backflipped over Aia, and their momentum brought them into contact with the barrier I had placed around Aia. Quick as lightning Aia brought his hand outside of the barrier and stuck one of his paper strips on the Mononoke. The black eye opened and turned a violent red. An unearthly shriek resounded from the contact, and the Mononoke – it must have been a weak one – dissolved into the telltale myriad of colored particles that meant that he was defeated. I left no room for my astonishment – I would have to ask Aia about it later – but launched myself at the other Mononoke that had been stunned upon contact with the barrier. Without stopping to think, I rushed the six remaining Mononoke. Twisting in their midst, I brought my sword in contact with four of them.

Suddenly, Aia cried out. I looked at him in time to see him throw a handful of the papers at me. The black eyes turned red and opened wide as they formed a wall at my back, and it was only when I heard an enraged howl that I realized that Aia had just saved me from a surprise attack. I whirled and, upon seeing an opening in the wall large enough for my sword, plunged it through the hole and slaughtered my attacker. Aia must have gestured, because the wall of papers fluttered behind me back towards him to give me an unobstructed view of the final Mononoke. I took my stance in front of it, keeping myself between it and Aia.

The Mononoke's animal face twisted in rage. "You will never stop us!" it shrieked. My inner eye told me that this Mononoke was the strongest of the bunch. As I watched, it swelled in size before disappearing with an evil cackle and a popping noise. Alarmed, I lunged at it, but it dissolved too quickly for me. I stayed with my sword arm extended, panting, as the realization that one had escaped me settled in. I hung my head in fear and shame; word of Aia would be spread. I had put the boy's life in danger by returning to him. I slowly walked back over to him, leaving my sword on the ground to continue channeling the Mononoke's essence into the afterlife.

Scattering the crystals that had saved Aia's life, I crouched down to his level and whispered, "I'm so sorry. I have put you in danger by returning to you. You piqued my curiosity after you recognized what I was that first time I met you, and I returned to spy on you. Now that the Mononoke have knowledge of you and of your connection to me, no matter how small that connection is, they will come after you to get back at me. I'm sorry," I repeated, hanging my head again.

Suddenly I felt thin arms wrap themselves around my broad shoulders. I froze, slightly alarmed at the contact. In my observations of the human race, I had noticed that humans would perform this action – a hug, I believed it to be called – to show affection or to provide comfort. I could not believe that Aia was hugging me; me, who had put his life in mortal danger and who had no business to be with him. Sensing my inner turmoil, he only hugged me harder, bringing me closer to his small body. Reluctantly at first, but then more confidently, I brought my arms around his tiny torso, returning his hug. I do not know how long we stayed that way, but when we finally released each other, I felt more calm and at peace with myself.

"I do not blame you for what happened," Aia said to me. "I would have gone searching for the Mononoke myself, and I would have encountered this situation eventually. And before you tell me that I would have had no idea what I was getting myself into, it is what I want to do with my life. The only direction from here is forward. Either you can teach me to protect myself for when the Mononoke return, or you can leave me to my death."

I did not care for the boy's blatant logic or his seemingly nonchalant attitude towards the gravity of the situation. But I knew that I had a duty towards the boy. Even though I barely knew Aia, I felt a fierce protectiveness of him. Grasping his shoulder, I said, "I will teach you, and I will always be here to protect you."

* * *

><p>So I really couldn't wait to get this part up...sorry for the wait! Finally, some action! Please R&amp;R!<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

**Balance**

From that point on, I became Aia's mentor in the ways of defense. Though he was one of the younger acolytes at the Temple, he was also one of the ones who had been there the longest due to his being orphaned at such a young age. As such, he had been one of the better warriors at the Temple, yet under my tutelage, he blossomed even more.

Apparently Aia had also discovered a new way to deal with the Mononoke, something that he had learned from his Temple training. He explained to me that it was important to find the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari – or shape, truth, and reasoning – of an enemy in order to understand it and defeat it in the long term. He had translated these three symbols to mean form, truth, and regret in the case of the Mononoke, and he strongly believed that if he were given time to analyze the Mononoke that he would be able to discover all three about any Mononoke that he might come across and thus be able to defeat it.

The mysterious papers that he had displayed before, he explained to me, had been created for the purpose of warding off Mononoke. He explained a complex ritual to me, something to do with painting the blood of an innocent (his own blood, in this case) in the shape of an omnipotent eye upon each piece of paper. While in most cases the papers would only serve as a barrier, if the Mononoke was weak enough, they could also serve the same purpose as my sword. It made sense to me; my own blood – once again the blood of an innocent – had been used in the creation of the Sword of Exorcism.

I was curious as to Aia's innate knowledge of enchantments; normally warriors were trained in the more mundane ways and taught to shun the old arts. Aia explained to me that yes, the old arts were still considered taboo, but that they intrigued him. He himself did not know why he knew so much about the old arts, and that he had never been tutored in their ways. My respect for the boy grew as a result of his knowledge and levelheadedness.

As for my concerns about word of Aia being spread among my enemies, I had been right; Aia was targeted on several occasions. I took to keeping watch in the woods behind his cabin, sleeping more often than I was normally prone to in order to keep up my energy to protect him during the day. I also spent several evenings roaming the Japanese countryside searching for the Mononoke that I was unable to find during the day due to my vigilance over Aia. Every evening after the Father said goodnight to the boys, I sprinkled my crystals around the perimeter of the cabin in order to keep the Mononoke out while the boys were defenseless. I grew stronger during this time, mostly as a result of the activities my body was being subjected to. I did not have to worry about myself being injured as much as I had to worry about Aia.

On perhaps two occasions, Aia was targeted while he was in a group of people. I was thankful that the minds of mortals were so easily fooled as to fabricate explanations for the absences in memory created during the times I fought the Mononoke. Luckily, the groups of people that had been present on those occasions were not targeted, but merely used as distractions. In both cases, the Mononoke were defeated and no one was harmed.

Aia grew increasingly frustrated with me as I taught him the self-defense but never allowed him to use it. He was humble, meek, and mild as a lamb, but he hated to be considered weak or defenseless. He kept begging me to allow him to fight alongside of me, reasoning that with his papers and his new training that he would be an asset in a fight. I, however, could not bring myself to put him in the way of any more harm than I already had. I was ashamed with myself for practically smothering Aia with my protectiveness, but I felt that I owed it to him for putting him in harm's way in the first place. All the same, I never regretted that I had returned to the boy; he was a new reason for me to persevere and fight. Every time I doubted, Aia was my rock, the one I could turn my thoughts to in remembrance of why I did what I did.

A year passed, and then an additional several months since the first time I had ever met Aia. I grew to love the boy as a father would, and I am sure now that he saw me as a father figure as well. The first time I was with him for his birthday, which happened to be his eleventh birthday, I made him a new purple headscarf since his beloved older headscarf was falling apart and he refused to wear his hair back any other way; cutting the hair was also not an option.

It was the next birthday, his twelfth, in which my world and his was shattered.

I remember feeling that Fate had smiled upon us by placing one of the Temple's 'training days' as we called them – the three days in which Aia and the other acolytes would be sent out into the wilderness to fend for themselves and teach them to survive on their own – on the same weekend that Aia's birthday was. It was his twelfth birthday, and I had fashioned a gold medallion necklace emblazoned with a flower with twelve triangular-shaped petals fanning outwards to give to him.

Just as I was tying the purple silk cord around his neck so that the medallion would hang in front of his uwangi, Aia and I tensed at the same time. We both could sense the Mononoke coming in our direction. We quickly packed our things and set up for the attack – we had been through this many times. Aia brought out his scales and papers, and I warded him with the crystals and pulled out my sword.

Unlike before, the attacking Mononoke did not stop and chat before rushing us. One moment I was facing an empty clearing, the next moment I was battling for my life. In between the complex series of moves I wove through, my adrenaline-laced brain registered that while there were only eight Mononoke, they were all strong, very strong. Each Mononoke resembled a boulder three times my own size, and each body shifted in a sickening myriad of colors. Their bodies were covered in thousands of tentacles that snaked past my guard and nicked my skin, keeping my guard distracted so that I had difficulty choosing a target. I hissed as I was struck in multiple places before finally driving my sword into the body of one of them.

Fighting to get clear of the crowd of Mononoke around me without becoming overly dizzied by their appearances, I saw Aia out of the corner of my eye throwing the papers in my direction. Once more a barrier rose around me, the black eyes turning a violent red and opening to their fullest as they repelled the attempts of the Mononoke to break through. The brief respite allowed me to regain my composure and, when the barrier was withdrawn, I launched myself anew at them, striking two and mortally wounding them before the remaining five knew what was happening.

Using their size to their disadvantage, I maneuvered around one so that its form blocked the others from accessing me. I quickly worked past its guard and killed it. Aia was working on covering one of the Mononoke in his paper strips, a rather difficult feat since the creature shifted away from it. I charged the other two as Aia's papers finally coated the Mononoke, and it dissolved. The two that were my current targets shimmered out of the visible spectrum to protect themselves from Aia, and I was forced to close my eyes in order to see them; we could not hide from each other. I could tell that Aia was confused as he saw me slashing at what he thought was thin air until he realized, from the shifting of his scales, that I was still battling the Mononoke, even though he could no longer see them.

I leapt upwards and twisted over top of the Mononoke, driving my sword through the head of one of them. It quickly exploded. As I was coming down, I nearly was able to drive my sword into the other one; I thought that I had hit my mark until I felt a blazing pain across my left side and arm. I cried out involuntarily, landing on my right arm as my feet were knocked out from under me. My sword had been knocked from my grasp when the Mononoke had struck me, and before I could recover, I found the full weight of the Mononoke on my chest. I cried out again in agony as its weight not only constricted my chest but burned its poison into my flesh. I could not move as the searing pain drove my consciousness into whiteness.

I opened my eyes to see that the creature had returned to the visible spectrum. As my pupils threatened to roll back in my head, I saw Aia shout something; I could not hear what he said through the roaring in my ears. My heart constricted as I saw him run out of his protective circle, picking up my sword and charging the Mononoke sitting on my chest. I nearly cried out for him to stay away until I realized that it would put Aia in danger of being discovered.

As it was, the Mononoke noticed Aia at the last second. As Aia drove his sword into the Mononoke's heart, the Mononoke knocked Aia aside with one of its many tentacles. The Mononoke gave one final shriek as it shattered, and though it was no longer poisoning me with its essence, my body still felt as if it were on fire. I felt as though I were in a dream as my hand involuntarily slipped into my waistband, shaking as the cork was popped off of the vial of healing tonic I had and spilling its contents into my mouth. I howled as the pain increased – a feat I had thought impossible – in order to heal my wounds. Finally, though, I was whole again.

I rolled off of my back and looked frantically around for Aia. I noticed his still form lying on the ground by the base of a tree. I ran over to him, panting not only from the exertions of the battle, but also from the fear that Aia had been hurt. My worst nightmares were confirmed as I rolled him over to reveal his blue uwangi soaked through with his blood.

"No!" I cried out. "Aia, no!" I placed my ear to his chest, listening to the erratic beating of his heart. A similarly bleeding wound on the back of his head meant that he must have struck the tree when he was knocked aside by the Mononoke, but luckily no bones were broken. The Mononoke's poison, however, could not be healed by my healing tonic; the liquid would burn his flesh and leave nothing but a pile of ash should I give him even one drop. I placed my arms under his neck and knees and lifted him against my chest before standing up and, with all the speed I could summon, raced back to his village.


	9. Chapter 9

**Balance**

I could not remember the journey to Aia's village from the place where he always went during his training weekends to ever have been so long before. Each second brought with it a weaker beating in Aia's heart, a more laborious breath taken by his lungs, and more blood seeping onto his uwangi and headscarf.

After what seemed to be an eternity, Aia's village finally came into sight. I raced down the lip of the valley, wasting no time with the gate but instead vaulting myself over the battlements. An alarm was raised as I raced to the village center. I finally stopped, trembling, on the patch of dirt, my pulse pounding in my ears and gasping for breath. I mustered my loudest voice and cried out, "Help! A boy has been hurt!" I repeated my phrase, still clutching Aia to my chest, as I waited for someone to direct me to a healer.

Word spread like wildfire as the villagers caught glimpses of the unconscious Aia in my arms; it was only after they took in Aia's appearance that they took in my own. My body was flushed with energy, the gold paint practically blinding; my amber eyes were fiercely determined and slightly desperate; my hair and kimono swirled around my body as I turned about frantically looking for someone to help Aia. I cursed myself for frightening the humans, but I could not find the self-control to tone down my appearance in my desperation to save Aia. It was only when a squad of soldiers from the barracks arrived that I was finally able to convey that Aia needed a healer. They quickly escorted us to the healer's, where Aia was taken from my arms and whisked into the house.

I sank down on the steps, holding my head in my hands. The soldiers still milled around me, some looking at me warily, others looking at me with curiosity. The murmurings of the soldiers and the villagers who dared come to follow us reached my ears, but they could not pierce the haze surrounding my mind. As exhaustion took over me, my paint slowly dulled and the manic look left my eyes, leaving a dull emptiness.

A series of approaching footsteps brought my gaze from the palms of my hands up to a series of faces. I watched as a man in a hakama and uwangi similar to Aia's ascended the steps I was sitting on and entered the house. From what I could hear of his voice, he sounded very much like the chief priest and warrior – the Father that Aia had told me so much about – at Aia's temple. After several minutes of conversing, the man came out onto the porch of the house and looked at me without saying a single word. I returned his brown-eyed gaze until he finally shifted uncomfortably. He was an older man, with a long graying beard and a bald head, but his body was still toned and muscular, the way a true warrior's would be. I could understand how Aia and his fellow acolytes were slightly intimidated by the man; he had a commanding and powerful aura about him.

Finally he spoke to me. "If you would come inside," he said, gesturing for me to enter the building. I picked myself up from the step, desperately hoping that I could see Aia, but I was led to a room occupied by several other older-looking men. The room was dead silent, allowing my delicate hearing to pick up the murmuring of several healers in another room and the rasping that was Aia's breathing. My heart clenched before I returned my attention to my current surroundings.

The Father spoke again. "We are curious as to the circumstances that brought about Aia's injury. Also, we have never met a…creature…such as you before; we wish to know your business with our village as well as your business with Aia. If you could please narrate for us what exactly has happened, we would be grateful."

Monotonously I started speaking, beginning with my nature and my business in this world. I could see in their eyes that they had a difficult time believing me, but a second look at my appearance – from amber eyes to pointed ears to glowing body paint – had them thinking otherwise. I brought out my Sword of Exorcism, but I did not demonstrate its powers. Then I began speaking of my relationship with Aia, from our first meeting to our meetings since then. I stressed that the only reason I remained with him was to protect him from the Mononoke that had learned of our connection and that I had not helped him pass his weekend trainings in any way; if I had not explained this, they would have been sure to suspect Aia of cheating on these assignments.

My throat constricted when I finally reached the point in my narration where Aia had been injured. After I finished, they brought in a healer to question me on the nature of Aia's injuries. I did my best to explain to the healer what had happened, but he merely pursed his lips, the look of hope draining from his face. My heart sank at this.

The healer took a last look at the room's occupants. "We will do the best we can," he said softly, slipping from the room to return to Aia's side.

'The best we can…' Those haunting words repeated over and over in my head like a mantra. I sank down the wall to sit on the floor, my face in my hands once again as the village officials left the room. At some point in time I was offered a cup of tea, but one look into my empty eyes convinced the person otherwise. I was eventually led outside and offered a place to sleep for the evening, but I declined, preferring to remain outside of the house and as close to Aia as I possibly could.

Darkness fell. The lights of the village grew stronger with the fading daylight and then dimmer as the village went to sleep. The lights inside of the healer's house, however, remained burning strong. I desperately hoped with all my heart that Aia's life would not end because of my careless mistake.

The moon had completed half of its dance across the starry night sky when the Father came out of the house and sat down next to me. We remained sitting in silence before he finally said, "Supposedly the stars are the souls of the departed. For every person that dies, another star is born. As more and more die, it becomes more and more difficult to discern the passing of another soul." He sighed tiredly. "Thus it will be difficult to see the appearance of Aia's star tonight."

My gaze snapped fearfully to his face. He returned it with pure sorrow etched into his features. "I am sorry, but Aia has passed." He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder for a moment before standing up and returning into the house whose candles were slowly dimming.

Reality came crashing down around me as the Father's words finally sunk in. I looked up again at the sky frantically, searching for any positive sign that Aia's star would appear, but the Father was right; the stars were too numerous to pick out the appearance of any new stars. I could dimly hear a gentle song being sung in the depths of the healer's home, most likely a lullaby for the passing of the soul of the dead. The lamentation became too much for me, and I raced as fast as I could, as far away as I could, from that place of death. I passed out of the valley within seconds, my speed carrying me over the terrain so that Aia's village was nearly a forgotten memory within minutes. I knew, however, that no matter how far I would run, Aia's death would always haunt me; I could never forget what had happened.

I stopped, gasping for breath. Tears streaming down my face, I roared my anguish at the heavens. Fate had ripped from me the first companion I had ever had, the first person whom I had come in contact with. The loss of Aia left a gaping wound in my chest, one that no amount of time could ever heal. I tried to summon the hatred that would aide me in completely obliterating any and all Mononoke, but the only feelings I felt were regret at my own foolishness at ever returning to visit Aia. Better for me to have never returned to him and for him to still be alive than for those wonderful past few months to have ever happened and for him to now be lying on a pallet with healers crooning a dirge over his cold body.

For the first time in over a year, I regretted having met Aia.


	10. Chapter 10

**Balance**

Time passed, though I could not tell that it was doing so. I only knew that once I had awoken from my stupor over Aia's death, I threw myself with a renewed vigor against the Mononoke. I finally knew firsthand the feelings of the family members whose loved ones were ripped away from them by the Mononoke, and I was determined that no one should ever go through the heartbreak that I went through.

Thoughts of suicide entered my thoughts during this time, but mundane means would not kill me; jumping off of a cliff or sleeping without warmth at the top of a mountain during a blizzard had no effect other than sapping my strength. The only way I could die would be if I allowed a Mononoke to best me. However, I could almost hear Aia chiding me for such selfish thoughts; my purpose was to stay alive and to protect the humans of this world, no matter the circumstances. Allowing myself to die just so that I could be with Aia again would leave him disappointed in me. Thus, I forged on despite the hole in my heart left by his absence.

I found myself hoping that Aia would return to me, but the only ways that I would ever see him again would be if he returned to this world – meaning that he would be a Mononoke – and I knew that he was too humble and selfless to revert to such a petty revenge. Knowing Aia, he most likely did not even feel a need for revenge over his untimely death. The other way that I could see him again would be for me to die, but just as in my thoughts of suicide, I could hear Aia telling me that doing so would only sow the destruction of the world as the balance would be ruined.

Thus I fought. I fought to keep humanity safe. I fought to keep the balance.

I fought to avenge Aia's death.

I fought for Aia.

I could not bring myself to return to Aia's home valley, not even to pay my respects to his grave. Thus it was that one lonely afternoon, several months after his death, I erected a small monument to the boy who changed my life. It was a simple stone monolith, perhaps a meter high at most, with nothing but an engraving of the medallion I had given him that fateful day embossed upon the glossy surface. In future years I found myself returning to this monument every year, sometimes bringing flowers with me, other times herbs and spices. I would spend the day sitting there in silence, regretting that I had ever met him and stolen from him the chance to live a normal, happy life. I missed him terribly. They say that time heals all wounds, but no amount of time was able to heal the potency of the wound his death had left upon my heart.

My clashes with the Mononoke became more and more frequent and increasingly more violent. I was still growing stronger, thanks to the strict regime of protection I had put myself through during my time with Aia, but once again I found myself becoming outmatched by my opponents. Perseverance and careful planning on my part, as well as the training I resumed putting myself through, was what kept me alive now.

* * *

><p>I could feel a burning in my calves as I raced across the countryside. The activity of my targeted Mononoke was increasing, meaning that they had made contact with their victims. I pulled out my sword and prepared myself, knowing that by the time I arrived, I would have little time to prepare myself.<p>

I finally arrived to where the Mononoke were. I did not have the time to discern what exactly they were doing to their human victims, but I could see the humans spasmodically shaking and trembling, eyes rolled back in their heads. Without stopping my momentum, I vaulted into the air and spun at the zenith of my arc, driving my sword into the head of one of the Mononoke. With a scream, it exploded, and its demise finally distracted the remaining two Mononoke from their victims to realize that I was here.

The Mononoke ended their torture of the humans at present, who collapsed, unconscious, on the ground. Turning their attention to me, they circled without striking, and I watched without striking. I would not rush my opponents.

"You have interfered with our brethren on far too many occasions," one of them hissed. "And now you dare interfere with us? These men raped us, killed us, and then defiled our dead bodies! We deserve to exact our revenge upon them. You have no business interfering."

Glancing at the group of unconscious humans, I said, "So you would also kill the three women that are currently with the rapists? They are innocent, and I will protect them. Since your anger has distorted your cause so that you do not discriminate between the guilty and the innocent, I am forced to stop you from not only hurting the innocent but also the guilty. I do not defend their actions, but I do defend those whom you do not distinguish as innocent."

"Fool," the other hissed. "Do you remember what happened to the innocent about five years ago whom you tried to save? That poor little boy…" My heart clenched as I realized they were talking about Aia, and my temper rose several notches. "If you had let him be, he would still be alive. It seems that every time you involve yourself in things that should not be, the only result for you is unhappiness."

My vision flashed red. I roared and struck out, but the Mononoke was too quick for me. It sidestepped and struck me across my temple. I nearly lost consciousness right then and there and would have died if my instinct had not compelled me to extend my sword out to the side from which I had been struck. The Mononoke screamed and died as my vision finally faded completely, yet I still remained conscious. I relied on my inner eye to see the essence of the remaining Mononoke, and soon it too was dead.

I remained still until my breathing had calmed.

Pushing myself up from the ground, I drank a few drops of my healing tonic to restore my sight and, while I waited for my sword to finish channeling the destroyed Mononoke back to the afterlife, I checked the pulses of the group of humans who had been attacked. Luckily, they were all alive and fairly healthy, if the color returning to their cheeks and their even breathing were anything to judge by. Picking up my sword, I turned and left the scene of destruction behind me.

When I finally stopped several miles away, I collapsed and allowed my emotions to wash over me. Tears seeped from my eyes for the first time since Aia's death as the words of the Mononoke repeated themselves in my head. The Mononoke had been right; if I had not involved myself where I should not have, Aia would still be alive.

I do not know if I warded myself; I only know that I cried myself to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

**Balance**

I watched the humans passing through the city from a darkened alley. I was in my insubstantial form, which was unfortunately sapping much of my remaining strength after my recent battle, but I did not want to be bumped into as I observed those whom I protected. They seemed a noisy lot…noisy and smelly and self-centered and –

I wrenched my thoughts away from the path they had been going. What would Aia think of me if he could see me now? I returned my attention back to the colorful throng of humans and livestock parading past my hiding place. There were so many colors, from the browns and greys of the livestock to the reds, yellows, blues, greens, and purples of the fabrics to the blacks of the hair and the…purple headscarf?

My eyes widened as I beheld the head of a man with silvery-blonde hair bound back with a purple headscarf. I could feel my entire chest constricting as I watched him turn around. He had a long, thin nose set between icy blue eyes, and his pale skin was marked only by some light purple paint on his upper lip. He wore a brightly colored blue kimono and wooden stilted shoes. His legs were covered in dark blue leggings and bound from the knee to the ankle in white bandages. Judging from his outfit, he was clearly a medicine seller. He carried an abnormally large box on his back, and he surveyed the world around him with a slightly cynical yet overall optimistic and purposeful look.

Even though I knew he could not see me, I still backed farther and farther away from him, my breathing elevated and my heart racing. It couldn't be Aia; he had been dead for twelve years. Besides, Aia would have been a warrior instead of a medicine seller. But the resemblance was uncanny, enough to make me think that it was an older version of Aia.

The man started moving from where he had been, walking in the direction of the western market and the farming side of the town. Impulsively, I decided to follow him, which took up much of my concentration since I did not want any humans bumping into my invisible self. I tailed him to the very edges of the town, and it was only when I was able to relax my concentration that I realized that there was a very strong Mononoke aura in the area. Alarm raced through my being as I realized that this man was heading straight towards it, whether he knew it or not. Unwanted images of Aia's broken body intruded upon my thoughts. I had to stop this man in order to protect him; I could not let him turn into another Aia.

I quickly shimmered back into my visible self to save my remaining strength and raced as quickly as I could in a less direct path to the blazing Mononoke aura. I hoped that I would still be able to stop the Mononoke before the man arrived even though my route would take longer than his.

I arrived at the scene to find the Mononoke nearly ready to attack their targets. I leapt with an urgent vigor into their midst and slew two of the four before they knew what was happening. The other two shrieked and backed away before I was able to touch them, and the targeted humans screamed and fled at our presence. I ignored them, just as the Mononoke were doing so right now, and we raced back into the battle in an attempt to attack each other.

A brightly colored commotion caught my attention and distracted me long enough for me to realize that the medicine seller had arrived. Dread colored my thoughts, and I missed the blow aimed at me. I cried out as the Mononoke struck my side, knocking me several yards backwards.

What happened next took me by surprise. The medicine seller gave a small cry and rushed the Mononoke. I screamed at him to stay away, speaking in my own language and forgetting in my haste to speak in a language he would most likely know. The Mononoke struck out at the man, and he was knocked down to the ground, unconscious. As the Mononoke prepared to finish him off, I forced myself back to my feet and ran them through with my sword from behind. They exploded into a blazing inferno of colored shards, and I panted in the aftermath of the battle as my sword began its work.

Dropping my sword and falling to my knees, I checked the man over for any wounds. I was immensely relieved that he had mercifully remained unharmed, but he most likely would not regain consciousness for several hours. Not wanting to endanger him as I had Aia by staying with him for him to see me, I quickly moved him to a safer area and fled before he would wake up.

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><p>Sorry this chapter and the last were so short! I just haven't wanted to start the action of the next chapter in these because then I wouldn't be able to find a good place to stop and the chapter would get too long. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! The Medicine Seller has arrived upon the scene!<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

**Balance**

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><p>Sorry it's been so long since I last updated! Let it suffice to say that I have been busy...thanks for sticking with this story!<p>

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><p>The surface of the lake was calm, reflecting the night sky above like a mirror. The cold water lapped at my ankles where my aching feet were submerged as I sat on a rock, gazing at the scene before me. I had happened upon some Mononoke traveling across the countryside, and I had caught them while they were still fresh from the afterlife, killing them quickly and efficiently. I was not tired, necessarily; mostly I was sore. Hence why I was resting as my sword cleaned up the Mononoke shards.<p>

I almost didn't hear the tinkling of bells behind me in my relaxed state. As soon as I did, however, my golden eyes whipped open and I snatched my feet out of the water, grabbing my sword as I gathered myself into a crouching position. I nearly fell over in surprise when I realized that the medicine seller from before was standing in front of me. I turned to flee but was stopped by his plea to stay. I gave him a better look and gasped upon seeing what he held in his hands. I had not seen such instruments in twelve years…

"Where did you get those?" I asked abruptly, my voice barely above a whisper.

The medicine seller glanced down at the golden scales decorated in pastels and bells that he held in his hands. "I bought them," he returned in a lilting baritone. He brought his icy gaze back up to my own, allowing me to see the truth reflected there.

I stood up tall from my crouching position. "Why are you here?" I asked him. "Why did you seek out the evil spirits yesterday? What interest do I or the Mononoke hold for you?"

The medicine seller set down his bulky box-like pack to pull out a drawer in which to store the scales. "I followed the direction the scales led me in to find you. It is only right that I thank you for saving my life yesterday," he said as he packed the scales gently in the drawer.

"But why did you even seek out the Mononoke in the first place?" I asked, bringing him to the one question that he had not answered.

He looked up at me. "I seek to protect those that need protecting. I can do so by killing them with the means I have developed for myself. The Mononoke do not belong to this world, and I am here to aid those whom they target. If I can relieve the world of them, then I have accomplished my one and only wish."

"And how do you aim to do this? A mere mortal is not strong enough to conquer every single Mononoke that is present in this world. You would only be capable of killing the weakest of Mononoke. Even then, you cannot rid this world of a Mononoke just by killing it; you must also have a channel open between this world and the afterlife in which to truly take the Mononoke's presence from this world through." The medicine seller faltered slightly in his work, looking up at me with something akin to a question in his eyes. "Unless I am mistaken," I continued gently, "you do not have such a channel. By leaving the fragmented Mononoke in this world, they can eventually reform into a much stronger spirit. The only way to truly rid the world of a Mononoke is to send it to the afterlife."

The medicine seller sank back on his haunches, looking slightly defeated. I felt slightly sorry for the man; I knew what it was like to feel possessed by the need to save others from the jaws of evil. I watched as determination settled upon his shoulders, lending him an inner strength. He shouldered his box and turned to me, standing tall.

"Let me come with you," he said.

Anger, fear, and sorrow coursed through my body. "No! I cannot allow you to do such a thing!" I cried out, screwing my eyes shut against the flood of emotions that threatened to spill from every orifice of my body and consume my surroundings.

"You cannot stop me from seeking out the Mononoke. Either you can teach me to protect myself for when I meet them in battle, or you can leave me to my death," he replied. My blood turned icy at the memory of Aia saying almost the exact same words after our first battle together thirteen years ago. I looked up at him, the pain and grief showing plainly in my eyes, begging him not to leave this decision to me. I knew that I could not leave him to his own devices; if he went out again, he could hurt himself and it would be another innocent life lost. But at the same time, I could not associate myself with him for fear that a repeat of Aia's misfortune would occur with this man. The medicine seller, however, merely looked at me, expecting me to make the decision. I could practically hear the scales of his life clinking in the balance of the answers his question left me with.

When I made no answer, the medicine seller's expression closed off, leaving his face emotionless. "If that is the case," he said, and turned and walked away without finishing his sentence.

I trembled as I watched him walk away. Here was a man who was walking to his death, and knowingly doing so. His compassion for others compelled him to risk his life in the same way I did. I could not let him do this, no matter the risks I took in exposing him to the same misfortune as befell Aia. Not only that, but there was something about this elegant man that drew me to him…

"Wait," I said, closing my eyes and facing my head towards the ground. I heard him pause in his steps and a creak indicating that he was looking back at me. I brought my gaze back up to his, amber gold matching silvery blue. I walked forward and placed my hand on his shoulder. "I will keep you at my side if only for the reason that I cannot have you fighting the Mononoke on your own. Know, however, that your life, from this point forward, will be in even greater danger than it already was." The medicine seller nodded once, and I withdrew my hand from his shoulder. We stood facing each other, our silhouettes outlined in the glow of the moonlight.

"Have you a name?" I asked him.

He blinked once at me. "Kutsuriuri."


	13. Chapter 13

**Balance**

So became my unlikely partnership with Kutsuriuri. He showed me his methods of defeating the Mononoke and his process of elimination as to the best methods. In his possession were a series of cloths painted, in his blood, with an all-seeing eye, as well as a sword with the symbol upon the hilt. He told me that he believed that the instruments needed the blood of the user upon them, and I corrected him in that it was not the user's blood, but the blood of an innocent. The sword he used much like I used my own, and the cloths he used much like Aia used his papers – a thought that nearly made me lose my self-control – though the cloths, due to their size, were bulky and difficult for him to handle. Thus I taught him the use of the papers, which he mastered quite easily and made more of with nearly every chance he got.

Our partnership was hardly ever strained when it came to accommodations. As a medicine seller, Kutsuriuri knew the feel of the land and thus never really needed to go into the market to buy food in order to sustain himself. Of course, I constantly worried about him; he was so thin and pale, and yet all he survived upon were the small animals he hunted and the plants he foraged for. This was quite helpful considering I could not stay near a high concentration of humans for very long; since my presence attracted Mononoke just as theirs attracted me, I did not want to endanger those humans. When it so happened that I needed to sleep, Kutsuriuri and I would part at a cave where I would sleep with the promise to meet up within a week, and Kutsuriuri would head off to town to sell his wares and restock on what provisions he did need that he could not find in nature. He was a very clever fellow; since I could not tell the passage of time while I slept, he set up a series of hourglasses connected with string so that when one ran out, only then would the next begin to run, and so on until all seven had run out. This way, if I woke before the week was up, I would not be unduly worried by his absence.

However, just as it had been with Aia, I struggled with how much I should let him fight alongside me. He was, incredibly, a very skilled warrior along with his medicinal trade, but I could not trust myself to put him in harm's way any more than I had trusted myself to put Aia in harm's way. Kutsuriuri fought me every step of the way, flat-out refusing to remain in any protective circle I tried to put him in and stepping out of it so many times that I eventually didn't even bother to coax him into one in the first place. I did, however, keep creating one for him each time for him to jump into should the need arise. That's the astounding thing about humans; they can walk through barriers of salt and not be harmed, and yet the Mononoke and I cannot pass through, even though the Mononoke are the souls released from a human body.

Kutsuriuri and I peaceably travelled the land for nigh on a year this way. He told me very little about his personal life and I reciprocated, and yet we still grew to trust each other. I felt gratified in the fact that I had a second warrior to watch my back as well as a companion to break the silence. Neither of us spoke of the possibility of our death, even though the Mononoke that we encountered grew steadily more numerous and difficult to defeat. I know that I would not have been able to take them on by myself, and for this I was thankful for Kutsuriuri.

However, I became more reckless in my fighting that I used to be. If it seemed that Kutsuriuri was in danger of being struck, I would race to block the attack with my own body; thus I accumulated more and more wounds because of my inability to see things that were beyond my control. I could see that this bothered Kutsuriuri, but I never broached the subject with him. Not only this, but the Mononoke began to seek us out more than ever before, striking us when we were vulnerable and trying to stay alive to spread the word to other spirits of Kutsuriuri's presence. We were able to kill any and all of the Mononoke that attacked us, but something about my changed aura drew them ever more frequently.

We were by a stream one day, resting and scavenging for some medicinal herbs that he needed to replenish, when he asked me a question. "Why is it that the Mononoke attack us so much more frequently as of late?"

I paused in my work, looking at the ground. "I do not know a more satisfactory answer than that the Mononoke are as attracted to my essence as I am to theirs, and since there are more and more Mononoke as of late, the attacks are hereby more frequent."

Kutsuriuri straightened, a pile of greens clutched in his long, slender fingers. "Is it possible to mask your essence with the essence of another? Perhaps a human being?"

I almost snorted…almost. Kutsuriuri saw my dubious expression and elaborated. "Mononoke are human souls that have been warped, correct? Therefore before the Mononoke actually become Mononoke, they are human souls masked within a human body. While alive, the soul and body are indistinguishable. You yourself told me once that you and the Mononoke are almost exactly similar in essence save for emotion; why would it not be possible to house your essence in a human body and therefore mask your essence until the Mononoke are lulled into a sense of security?"

I was startled and alarmed by the path his thoughts had taken. He had a habit of doing those sorts of things…startling me and catching me off guard with his mannerisms and maturity. "I had not thought about the possibility," I began, "but I am not sure if it is possible to house a soul or spirit within a body after it has been removed in the first place."

"But you were never removed from a human vessel in the first place," Kutsuriuri argued stubbornly.

I shook my head. "No, Kutsuriuri. I do not believe that it would be possible, let alone be the answer to our problems." Kutsuriuri did not answer me, and we returned to gathering his herbs in an awkward silence.

I felt bad for inadvertently offending Kutsuriuri, so I attempted to make small talk to mend the slight rift in our friendship. "So…how long have you been a medicine seller?"

Kutsuriuri paused. "Several years…if I am not mistaken, it is nearly seven years."

I decided to probe a little further. "What made you interested in medicine? You could have been a warrior; you have the skill and some of the training for it."

Kutsuriuri's face hardened, and I was momentarily afraid that I had, yet again, offended him. "Until you came along, I had only one method of saving people, and that was through medicine. I have always been more inclined to use medicine to save people; I dislike unnecessary violence. Yet now that I have become apprenticed to you, I will only use my sword now to destroy the creatures that threaten the existence of humanity." I smiled at his word choice in saying that he was "apprenticed" to me, and ducked my head to hide it.

Kutsuriuri, however, noticed my smile. "Why are you smiling?" he asked somewhat crossly, slightly offended at being the source of my amusement.

"You said that you are 'apprenticed to me'; I like to think that I have as much to learn from you as you do from me," I returned, turning my smile towards him. His gaze softened.

Turning back to the plants in front of me, I asked him, "What was your life like before our paths crossed?"

Kutsuriuri gave a small shrug. "I only ever grew up with a father; I do not remember my mother. While I was an only child, my father adopted many other boys in the area; I certainly was not a lonely child growing up. He encouraged all of us to study warrior training, and while all of my brothers embraced this lifestyle enthusiastically, I was more skeptical, preferring to study the ancient medicinal arts. My father eventually consented for me to study medicine so long as I studied the martial arts; I suppose he did this in the hopes of swaying me. However, things ended so that I became a medicine seller as I had originally hoped, and all of my brothers are warriors, now.

"My father and I did not part on good terms since I did not follow his wishes, and I have travelled the land as a medicine seller since I was eighteen. I have known of the existence of Mononoke – though for a long time I did not know their identity – since I was very, very little. It was my knowledge of them that led me to study the arcane arts. This I did not tell my father of; considering he was so against my studying medicine, he certainly would have been against my studying this. I have long wished for there to be a way for me to combat the Mononoke, which is another reason why I travelled the land. I searched for an answer, and I came across you." Here he smiled at me, which I returned.

"So you are – " here I paused for a moment to calculate his age in my head, " – twenty-five now?" Kutsuriuri nodded.

Next I made a motion towards his head. "The purple headscarf that you wear – where did you get it?"

He reached up and touched the scarf fondly. "A dear friend gave it to me when I was just a little boy." He laughed, a sound I had not heard before, and it was like the gentle spring breeze whispering through the cherry blossoms at that time of year. "I have kept it ever since."

It was a few more moments of silence before he asked me, "What has your life been like up until now?"

I was still for a few moments, unsure of whether I would be able to maintain my composure throughout my story. I knew that it had been twelve years since Aia's death, and yet the wound was still fresh…especially since Kutsuriuri reminded me so much of him. In the end, however, I took a deep breath and began my story.


	14. Chapter 14

**Balance**

"I have been here in this world since the first Mononoke came into this world. What memory I have of my existence before I crossed the barrier between worlds is limited, yet I do remember that I existed peacefully with the Mononoke in the spiritual world. As long as there is the potential for Mononoke to cross the barrier, I remain in this world to combat them upon their arrival.

"For over two thousand years I remained alone in my battle against the Mononoke. I did not think of it as lonely because I knew no better." I paused, gathering my mental and emotional resolve. Kutsuriuri waited patiently for me to continue.

"Fifteen years ago, I met a young boy, and upon my return to him, I placed his life in danger. I spent almost two years of his life protecting him from the Mononoke who wished to destroy him in an attempt to get at me, and yet…my time with him was the happiest I had ever known. He opened my eyes to the people I was protecting. He gave me a reason to keep fighting, even when prospects seemed bleak. I loved him as a father loves a son…but I was not able to keep him safe." I choked, but forced myself to continue. "He died under my protection, and I have never been able to forgive myself."

Kutsuriuri gave me some time to gather myself before he asked softly, "What was the boy like?"

I smiled at the happier memories I had of Aia. "He was such a mature boy. He had been orphaned when he was five, and he lived with other boys from his town in a warrior's temple where he had been coerced into service since his parents had been killed by Mononoke. When his parents were killed, his eyes were opened to the existence of Mononoke, and he forever retained a curiosity about them. He was extremely intelligent; he figured out how to create the very papers that I showed you when he was as young as ten years old. He had such a positive outlook on life, even though he was an orphan and even though he didn't want to be a warrior…in fact, he wanted to be a medicine seller." Once again, I was surprised at the similarities between Kutsuriuri and Aia, and I looked up at Kutsuriuri to see surprise written on his face, as well.

"It seems that your friend and I are quite similar," he said slowly.

I nodded. "He even had a purple headscarf just like the one that you wear," I smiled at him.

Kutsuriuri smiled back at me. "Perhaps it is good that I remind you of him; your loss is clearly still a painful subject, but perhaps our similarities will help you to heal." He came over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him and placed a hand of my own over his. "I can only hope so."

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><p>So yeah…y'all have been so good with keeping up with this story that I decided to update twice in a single day!...even though this update is less than half the size of the other update, lol. And to all of you who stuck with this story for the yaoi? I'm sorry to say that I don't think it'll happen; I plan on keeping Kutsuriuri and the Golden Warrior as just friends.<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

**Balance**

****Y'all should be given the "Reader of the Year" Award for putting up with me...I'm so terribly sorry that I haven't updated since Spring! Some people actually get the 'break' part of 'summer break'...not me. Anyways, I'll try to get back on a more regular update schedule! Thank you all again for hanging in there!

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><p>I kept the joints in my arm loose to prevent injury as Kutsuriuri parried my blow. Kutsuriuri used his momentum to bring his free elbow towards my head, which I parried with my opposite forearm. We leapt backwards from each other. "Don't use your body to attack the Mononoke; if your flesh comes in contact with their poison, you're dead," I chided as we panted and paced. Kutsuriuri gave a quick nod of his head before leaping back towards me, slashing diagonally.<p>

It had occurred to me that I did not know the extent of Kutsuriuri's fighting skills, and so, while we were resting, I had proposed a skirmish between the two of us so that I could gauge his prowess. While I did have to tone down my speed and strength to that of a normal human, I was pleased to find that I was hard-pressed to remain ahead of Kutsuriuri. His warrior training had certainly not been forgotten amongst his medicinal studies.

A small frown graced the lines around Kutsuriuri's eyes as we fought. I could almost see the calculations in his cold blue eyes as he catalogued my attacks and defenses. I smiled inwardly at this; it reminded me so much of Aia – I stopped my thoughts in their tracks, growling aloud at my lapse in concentration as well as self-control. If he noticed my growl, Kutsuriuri did not mention it, nor did it break his own concentration.

Thrust…block…slash…parry…the strains of our dance grew faster and faster as we fought to overcome each other's defenses. He was a natural warrior; he could interpret almost every shift of my body and therefore act accordingly. My impression of human warriors was that they only saw that which was coming directly at them as opposed to the delicate maneuvers that, in the long run, worked even better than a direct attack. And yet Kutsuriuri, while outmatched in speed and strength, used his cold, sharp intelligence to make up for what he lacked, matching my every wit and even outmaneuvering me at times.

"Alright, stop!" I called, spent. Kutsuriuri nearly collapsed right there on the spot, but it was only through sheer willpower that he managed to sit down gracefully. I myself carefully lowered myself to my knees, sweat dripping from my brow and running down my neck and chest. The flush of the fight was not as noticeable in my dark amber skin as it was in Kutsuriuri's fair complexion, but I was just as exhausted as he was in this instance.

When we both had finally regained our breaths, Kutsuriuri walked over to his bags and removed some of herbs, a large ceramic pot that he used for cooking and boiling water in, and the waterskin. After creating a fire and putting the glazed pot over the flames, he sprinkled the herbs in and then, going back to his bags, removed two small ceramic cups. After the brew had boiled to his satisfaction, he poured some of the mixture into each cup. Handing one to me, he bade me drink it to ease the ache and strain of my muscles after our skirmish. I smiled inwardly, knowing that his human herbs would not help my non-human body, but I drank anyways so as not to offend. The gesture was so like Aia…even though he had been a boy, he had insisted upon mothering me as a duck shepherds her ducklings.

Finally, we were completely relaxed and at peace. Kutsuriuri was performing the re-glazing of the ceramics that would enable the pottery to withstand the heat and constant use he put them through without cracking, when the scales in his bag began to chime and tremble. Not a moment later my hackles rose as a nasty feeling tickled the senses at my back. Kutsuriuri and I both turned in the direction of disturbance. Without even saying anything, the both of us packed up our camp and banked the fire. Stowing the majority of our belongings in a nearby cave, only keeping my dragon-headed sword and Kutsuriuri's scales, papers, and sword, Kutsuriuri turned to me and asked, "Trouble?"

"Trouble," I agreed. "And it's about to attack that village 5 miles north of here."


	16. Chapter 16

**Balance**

So I had a burst of insight and I thought, 'Why not reward my readers with a DOUBLE POSTING?'? That, and I can't wait to see your reactions to this chapter! OMG IT'S GONNA BE SO GREAT! Unfortunately, though, in order to hype up suspense, I will not be publishing another chapter until probably this time next week. So yes, I am a slightly cruel writer in that I make you all wait, but I really do think that you all will be happy with the direction that this story is taking!

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><p>I picked Kutsuriuri up on my back and raced across the landscape since Kutsuriuri could not keep up with me at this pace. The Mononoke were approaching from east of the village, and with my trajectory I hoped to cut them off before they reached the village. I could discernably sense the moment that the Mononoke recognized my aura, as they suddenly slowed down. I forced myself not to worry about their motives for doing so and got to the interception point. I let Kutsuriuri down and proceeded to draw the salt circle for him, knowing full well that he most likely would not use it. Looking at him, I silently pleaded with my eyes for him to use it, but he only glanced coolly at it and looked east, throwing his scales in a straight line before him where they rested, tilting and tinkling. I shook my head and faced east as well, squaring my shoulders and balancing my center of gravity for the moment when the Mononoke's pace would bring them to us.<p>

Their arrival was signaled by a rustling in the brush across the field from us, and a group of ten beautiful girls shyly emerged. They were slim and pale, with dark, lustrous hair gathered at the nape of the neck. Each girl wore a simple, earth-brown, knee-length tunic, tied at the waist with a colorful sash. As they slipped daintily across the field, they kept their heads coyly ducked beneath the brims of their straw sedge hats. I was quite astonished at the form that these Mononoke had taken; normally, Mononoke tended to relinquish the forms that had represented them before death, opting instead for forms that would strike fear into the hearts of their victims. And yet these girls looked entirely human, save for their inhuman speed that carried them to within feet of us in seconds. The girls all grouped in a wedge shape behind she whom I assumed to be their leader.

Neither side spoke for what seemed like hours, though it was only several minutes. The girls kept their faces hidden beneath the brims of their hats, remaining still as statues save for the breeze that ruffled their clothes and hair. Kutsuriuri and I also remained still, and while I was tensely alert for any sudden movement on the part of the girls, Kutsuriuri cocked his head, studying the girls. I hoped that he was not distracted by their feminine forms…

Suddenly Kutsuriuri spoke. "Must you persist in your course of action? Has your hate grown so that it clouds your judgment?" he asked them gently.

The girl at the head of the wedge formation stepped forward, lifting her head to show her beautiful face. Her features were exquisite; a face chiseled from porcelain or marble, with soft lips that were unnaturally red and a healthy blush staining her cheeks. What drew my attention most were her eyes; they were entirely black, black as the shadows, without any distinction between her pupils, irises, and the whites of her eyes. They seemed to be staring in all directions at once, though her face was directed at Kutsuriuri. Looking into them made me dizzy, and I marveled at Kutsuriuri's composure at such a disturbing sight.

Next she spoke, and what I saw disturbed me almost as much as when I had first glimpsed her eyes. Instead of a single human tongue, she possessed two tongues, long, thin, and forked like a snake's, that flickered in and out of her mouth as she spoke. "All judgment is subjective," she whispered. "No judge is unbiased. While our course of action may seem distasteful to you, your own desire to inhibit us is distasteful to us. Thus we stand here at an impasse that can only be solved by one side backing down or by means of combat. Since the first will never happen, it seems as though we must fight each other." I tensed again, ready for an assault, but the girls remained still.

A second girl stepped forward. "Whenever two sides are in conflict, with neither side backing down, the only just way is to fight out the differences through physical combat. Who are you to deny us the right to physically fight those who oppressed us in our past life? You," she looked at me, "who was created as our opposite and therefore has pitted yourself against us through combat time and time again, and you," she looked at Kutsuriuri, "who was raised as a warrior?"

"That is the way of an uncivilized, animalistic culture; true humanity will settle the differences through compromise," Kutsuriuri answered. "There is no good achieved by bloodshed."

Another girl, closer to Kutsuriuri than she was to me, stepped forward. "I have heard of you, medicine seller," she whispered. She looked at me. "I am surprised that you took on another human companion after your involvement led to the other one's death. But then…" She paused, sniffing the air about Kutsuriuri. Knowledge and surprise showed in her features, if not her eyes. "It seems as though Death has been kind to this one. He danced once with Death and was spared for a second dance. And he found you a second time –" Her words were cut off by Kutsuriuri stepping forward and cutting her head off; we had imbued his mortal sword with magics and rituals to allow it the same powers that my own held, though the mortal metal of the sword was still quite brittle and prone to breaking. In the process, his kimono had slipped slightly off one shoulder, and as he stepped backwards from the Mononoke as it exploded into a myriad of colors, he readjusted the kimono so it covered what it had before.

But not before I saw a gold flower medallion hanging on a purple silk cord around his neck.


	17. Chapter 17

**Balance**

I barely had the time to register that it was the very same medallion I had given Aia on the day he died before the Mononoke gave a collective hiss and surged forward in an attack. "Kutsuriuri! Aia!" I called, fiercely defending myself but panicking over the sudden return of a boy I had thought dead for nearly twelve years. Without even missing a beat, I quickly slaughtered two of the Mononoke rushing me, the dragon's maw opening hungrily to feast upon their remnants.

Even though I had seen Kutsuriuri prove himself time and time again during our battles with the Mononoke, the fear and paranoia I possessed over protecting Aia had resurfaced and was blotting out all other thoughts. My fighting was growing increasingly frantic as my prerogative became to get to where Kutsuriuri was fighting instead of actually trying to kill the Mononoke. All of the effort Kutsuriuri had put into allowing me to give him some space and some room to fight and grow was swept away. Once again, I was obsessed with protecting that little boy from so long ago.

Roaring, I charged the Mononoke surrounding Kutsuriuri. With a mighty slash, I drove the girls back into a semi-circle, keeping myself and my sword between them and Kutsuriuri, their numbers decreased to seven from Kutsuriuri's and my efforts. "Ahai! Ahai! Leyma yahuro aiaha semach'tha!" I shouted at them. _Back! Back! Do not dare come closer!_

With that, the girls gave one final malicious hiss before gathering their speed and deserting us, flying on nimble feet towards the town. I panted for a moment before growling that they'd gotten away. I made as if to follow them, but a heavy hand on my shoulder spun me to face Kutsuriuri.

Kutsuriuri's pale face was red with anger. "Why did you do that? If you hadn't jumped in front of me, we could have destroyed all of them! I was not in any danger! As it is, they're now going to wreck the town!" he shouted at me.

"Do not test me, human," I snarled back at him, my golden eyes shining from the fight and my own wrath.

"No! I have had enough of this! You had finally allowed me some space to breathe, to fight on my own, to trust that I can take care of myself! How could that accumulation of trust be so easily broken?"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"

Silence.

My shoulders were shaking; too many emotions were coursing through me…anger at Kutsuriuri for not telling me, joy and relief that Aia was alive, sorrow that Kutsuriuri and I were fighting like this, desperation at trying to ward off the Mononoke…it was all too much. A single tear slipped from my closed eyes, and my shoulders tightened and my fists clenched.

"Why didn't you tell me you were Aia?" I whispered to him. "I saw the medallion, the very same one I gave Aia for his twelfth birthday, in your possession just now. All of our time together, you lied to me. You told me a story about your background that was a twisting of the truth. You saw that I was in pain over what I wrongly presumed to be your death, and yet you kept me in darkness."

Kutsuriuri was taken aback. "You saw?" he asked, his hand ghosting over his chest where the medallion lay hidden beneath his colorful clothes. I nodded. Kutsuriuri gave a sigh.

"All those years ago, I nearly saw you killed by the Mononoke, and I tried to save you. I remember pain, excruciating pain, and then blackness. When I woke up, I was in the healer's house in the town, and the priests at the Warrior's Temple were beside me. They told me that you had left me, that you didn't want me anymore. I was crushed…Occasionally I encountered Mononoke after that, though they were normally weak and alone and just happening to catch my scent. I learned how to fight them, and though I defeated them, I was not able to channel them back into the afterlife. During this time, I finally broke from the Warrior's Temple, angering the Father so that he banished me from the town. I took up my trades as a medicine seller, and during that time, I came across you. From the lies that the priests told me, I thought that you would not want Aia back, and so I was Kutsuriuri to you. Then we exchanged our stories over a year ago, and I found out that you had not left me voluntarily, but that you had presumed me to be dead." Here Kutsuriuri hung his head a bit, the red of his anger finally receding from his features.

"I didn't tell you the truth then because you had finally begun to start trusting me. If I had told you that Aia was back, you would have gone back to sheltering me and keeping me from ever helping you in your never-ending battle against the Mononoke, a suspicion which you proved to me today to be true. Why can you not accept that you are not the only one capable of fighting the Mononoke?" he pleaded with me, his icy blue eyes boring straight through me.

"You always tell me that you are the balance to the Mononoke, that you are just like them except good. If the Mononoke are a result of the human being, does that not also make you just like us?" Kutsuriuri asked.

I was struck. Long had I held myself above humans, considering myself to be incapable of succumbing to what I considered human weakness. But what Kutsuriuri said was right; I really was just like them. Though I was stronger, faster, and more capable of lasting without sustenance, I had proven myself, time and again, to think and act like humans. Oftentimes, it was not brawn that won a battle for me; it was strategy. What if I really _did_ think like humans? What if that meant that humans such as Kutsuriuri could kill Mononoke, too? What if?...

I was brought out of my reverie by Kutsuriuri's hand on my arm. "Please," he begged. "Let me show you that I can fight them. If it looks as though I cannot handle them, then you may step in. But first, please let me try to fight them by myself. I fought off Mononoke by myself for thirteen years after you left me. Please let me show you that I can do this…"

Closing my eyes resignedly, I let the words slip past my tongue with only the slightest amount of dread. "Yes, Kutsuriuri. I will watch only until your life is in more danger than it already is."

With that, I once again picked him up on my back, and together, we raced towards the village to kill off these Mononoke once and for all.


	18. Chapter 18

**Balance**

When we arrived at the town, all was eerily noisy; normally, when the Mononoke were present, the bystanders could at least feel a malicious presence and would quiet down, if not entirely cease, all activities. And yet this town was bustling, the market square filled with the voices of vendors hawking their wares, children screaming in delight as they wove in and out of the crowd, even the distant cries urging on the workers in the rice fields bordering the towns.

"Where are they?" Kutsuriuri murmured discreetly to me; I was in my insubstantial form since there were so many people about.

"I don't know; their target must be very specific if they're hiding so well from us," I whispered gently.

Closing his eyes, I watched as Kutsuriuri concentrated on his surroundings, blocking out the noises of the market and the children and expanding his consciousness. Suddenly his icy blue eyes flashed open.

"Those girls in the rice fields – they're dressed the exact same way as the Mononoke were," he whispered urgently to me. I barely had time to register his comment before he was quickly weaving his way out of the crowds and towards the rice fields.

Sure enough, when the girls in the rice fields came into view, they looked exactly like the Mononoke, with their sedge hats, earthen brown knee-length tunics, and colorful sashes. The water of the fields lapped around their bare feet and ankles as Kutsuriuri approached the foreman.

"Excuse me, sir, but I have a few questions, if I may take some of your valuable time," Kutsuriuri asked politely. The foreman looked slightly astonished at Kutsuriuri's bright and colorful clothing, but he calmed when he saw Kutsuriuri's medicine box perched on his back.

"Ah, I suppose I can spare a few minutes," the foreman said reluctantly.

"Thank you kindly. Could you tell me if, among the workers whom you supervise, there were any disappearances that remained either unaccounted for or a mystery?" Kutsuriuri asked. I scanned over the girls in the field, focusing my hearing on Kutsuriuri's dialogue and watching the girls as they worked for any signs that might help us.

"Actually, yes I can help," the foreman said, though he frowned that a medicine seller would be asking such questions. "About a month ago, one of the girls who worked here was found dead in a back alley. What was rather horrific about her death was that she had been stabbed not only in the heart, but also through both of her eyes." The foreman shuddered. "A few days after the first girl was found, a second girl was murdered in the same manner, and a few days after that, a third, and then a fourth, and so on until ten of the girls had been killed. We've had a right devil of a time trying not only to hire replacements but also trying to keep our current employees."

"You wouldn't want to work here, either, if the possibility of you being murdered in such a manner was likely," a pretty young girl lifted her head to participate in the conversation. Then she blushed and hung her head. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping, Foreman Yang; I'll get back to work," she said hurriedly.

The foreman smiled at her gently. "It's alright, Mai. Frankly, I don't blame these girls for not wanting to work under Headmaster Han-Lin anymore; he's a right pain in my own arse, too," Foreman Yang scowled, turning back to Kutsuriuri. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, but maybe Han-Lin might be able to shed some more light on the girls' murders."

"Is the Headmaster in?" Kutsuriuri asked.

"Yeah, he'll be in his office right now. That building, top floor. I hope that your discussion goes well," Yang shuddered before returning his attention to supervising the girls work.

As we began to walk towards the building Yang had directed us to, I began to feel an ominous tingling. "Kutsuriuri, do you feel that?" I murmured.

Kutsuriuri gave a slight nod of his head. "I think they'll be coming out of hiding soon; we'd best hurry."

We arrived at the top floor of the building to hear a rather angry voice shouting obscenities before a disturbed-looking man came rushing out of the open door at the end of the hallway, brushing tears from his eyes rather hurriedly before pushing past us to descend the stairs. Kutsuriuri watched him go before venturing down the hallway, and I followed silently behind.

Kutsuriuri stood for a moment in the shadows by the doorway, observing the office's occupant. He was a well-dressed man, rather heavy-set, with a red face, a bald crown, and a fu manchu. He was scribbling furiously on some parchment upon his desk, nearly hidden behind giant stacks of other parchments.

Taking a deep breath, Kutsuriuri knocked upon the door, and the man at the desk looked up, eyebrows furrowed. His eyes squinted as he looked at Kutsuriuri, taking in his bulky box and his colorful garb.

"Well? What do you want? If you're trying to sell me some sort of medicine, I won't be hearing any of your nonsense!" Han-Lin shouted at Kutsuriuri, not even bothering to be polite enough to speak at a normal volume, and I winced as his voice assaulted my acute hearing.

Kutsuriuri stepped into the office and set down his box. "Sir, I have heard of the recent murders of the ten girls who were formerly employees of this establishment," Kutsuriuri began. "If you would be so kind as to humor me, I would like to ask you a few questions about the girls' demise and the circumstances prior to their murders."

"I don't know anything! Those girls were lazy, horrible workers, but it'd be better to have lazy workers than no replacement for them," the man grumbled.

Suddenly Kutsuriuri's scales, stored away in the bottom drawer of his box, began to jingle violently, just as the hairs stood up on the back of my neck, my hackles rising. I watched as goosebumps broke out on both Kutsuriuri and Han-Lin, and I whispered urgently to Kutsuriuri that we should evacuate the Headmaster from the vicinity.

"Sir, we shall continue our discussion outside, if you will please follow me –" Kutsuriuri began, stepping around the desk to try and lead the man out of the office. The man yanked his elbow out of Kutsuriuri's grasp.

"Who are you, and what authority do you pretend to have over me?" he shouted at Kutsuriuri.

Just then, a strong gust of wind raged through the open window, slamming the door closed and blowing Han-Lin's parchment all over the office.

"Damn it all!" Han-Lin shouted, standing up and hobbling over to the window, grasping the shutters and pushing them closed forcedly. Kutsuriuri raced to the door, struggling with the latch, but the door would not open. He turned to Han-Lin, eyes wide.

"Don't!" he cried, but it was too late. A monstrous wail rose from outside the office, and the light was stained a blood-red as a deep bass rumble shook the office. I shimmered into the visible spectrum, drawing my Sword of Exorcism as Kutsuriuri raced to his box, grabbing open a drawer and throwing his papers into the air where they flew to cover the walls. The eyes on the papers opened to their fullest extent, turning deep red as an unearthly screech pierced my eardrums. Han-Lin was screaming, cowering by the window with his hands over his ears. Kutsuriuri and I stood back-to back, swords drawn, but the papers were holding back the Mononoke from the office as the shrieks resounded outside, increasing in intensity.

We were trapped.

_I'm so sorry for being late on the update, everybody! ...Can I use the excuse that I just moved back in to college and started classes again? *pulls big eyes* Anyways, I have a 3-day weekend coming up, so I'll be sure to get all my updates finished before I start my classes again next Tuesday so I can update next Wednesday. Thanks for dealing with the crap I dish out!_


	19. Chapter 19

**Balance**

I watched as Kutsuriuri flinched slightly at the thunderous cracks resounding from the other side of the paper barrier, accompanied by the Mononoke's infuriated shrieks. Han-Lin was still cowering and screaming, his high-pitched cries irritating me. The gravity of the situation made my temper short, and I strode over to Han-Lin and lifted him up by his collar, glaring heatedly into his eyes. Astonishment and fear rendered him mercifully quiet, and it was not until Kutsuriuri placed a calming hand on my shoulder that I took a deep breath and set Han-Lin back on his feet.

"We have to take down the barrier so that I can go out–" I began.

"No. You told me I could do this on my own," Kutsuriuri interrupted. My muscles tensed, but after a long moment I bowed my head in deference to my word. Kutsuriuri gave me a small smile of thankfulness before turning to Han-Lin.

"I came to this office under the impression that you could shed some light on the murders of the girls who were recently murdered," Kutsuriuri said in a steely voice.

Han-Lin's eyes were practically rolling back in his head from fear. "I know nothing of their murders! I am innocent!" he shuddered violently.

Kutsuriuri's eyes hardened. "I accused you of nothing," he said. "Why do you defend your innocence?"

Han-Lin blinked furiously. "You were going to accuse me!" he shouted defensively.

I could practically see Kutsuriuri's patience growing thinner. "I am not one to accuse you, but perhaps the seven Mononoke hammering at your door would care to do so?" he said coolly.

He stooped in front of the crouching Han-Lin. "You know of the Mononoke; I can see it in the knowing fear reflected in your eyes. You know that they will not stop haunting you until they are satisfied, and the only satisfaction they can have is the sacrifice of your own life. Unless you start talking, you will be dead within the hour, and there will be nothing that my friend or I can do about it." Han-Lin whitened even further, silenced by the choking grip of fear. Kutsuriuri glared down his nose at the man who refused to speak. "If that's how you want it," he said.

Kutsuriuri stood up and began to muse. "The girls retain their human form, and not just any human form: they retain their form down to the garb that they wore to the fields every day. Why not the garb of their home lives? If they care for their beauty, why not a more elegant form of dress? And even then, they are not fully human; their eyes are the shadows of secrets, and their twin tongues are forked; what could these represent?" He paced back and forth, mouthing, "Katachi…Makoto…Kotowari," under his breath.

Suddenly he paused. "The snake is one of the most reviled creatures in all of creation. It is associated with deception, trickery, and lies. The forked tongue, coupled with the fact that the girls had two tongues, is symbolic of a dual lifestyle, one public lifestyle, one secret lifestyle."

"That could also explain the attachment to their work garb; it is the lifestyle that they wish to be remembered by," I supplied, following Kutsuriuri's train of thought.

Kutsuriuri nearly gave a satisfied smile, his features settling into a more relaxed set. "I know the Katachi: a life of secrecy."

Suddenly, the dragon's head of my sword opened its maw and closed it again with a distinctive _chink_. I glanced at it alarmingly, and Kutsuriuri was also dumbfounded at its behavior. In all my years as a warrior, never before had it behaved as such.

The Mononoke lying in wait outside the wall also stilled upon hearing the clang of my sword. The silence that resulted was deafening compared to the clamor they had been raising before. I tensed again, waiting for an onslaught, and was not disappointed; the Mononoke resumed their attacks against the paper barrier with a renewed vengeance.

"Kutsuriuri," I said urgently. "Time is dwindling. Please hurry."

Kutsuriuri's own eyes were lined with anxiety. "If I am to defeat the Mononoke, I must find the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari," he pleaded. I cast my thoughts back to some of our first encounters, when he was still little Aia, and remembered his desires to understand the enemy. I closed my eyes reluctantly, nodding once and preparing myself to intervene should the occasion arise.

Han-Lin's eyes were white and wide as he eyed the two of us. "Who are you?" he whispered.

Kutsuriuri's icy blue eyes settled on him. "We are the warriors against the Mononoke." I drew myself up to my golden height next to him, towering in stature and bulk and sending Han-Lin into an even smaller ball.

Kutsuriuri resumed pacing back and forth. "So, according to the Katachi, each girl led a secret life in addition to working here, at this factory. Perhaps it is safe to assume that this secret life was also the regret of the girls? And in which case, what other life would be so shameful that the girls would even alter their Mononoke form so as to hide and forget about it?"

"Perhaps espionage? Thievery?" I suggested.

Kutsuriuri looked at me amusedly. "Though the last one is a good contender, I was going to suggest prostitution." I flared my nostrils in distaste and in embarrassment for not thinking of such an obvious answer.

"The Kotowari is a life of prostitution," Kutsuriuri said with confidence, and for the second time in as many minutes, the dragon's head of my sword opened and closed, though the distinctive chink was somewhat louder this time. I shook my sword irritably, annoyed and worried at its acting up.

"Would it not be ironic if each reaction meant that I was right?" Kutsuriuri raised an amused eyebrow at me. My features softened, though the tension remained in my muscles.

"Assuming that my assumptions about the Katachi and Kotowari are correct, I must now unravel the Makoto, or the truth." Though I listened to Kutsuriuri's words, I noticed that the din of the Mononoke had faded, and that the papers were dulling from glowing red to their normal black. "Why is it that the Mononoke have targeted you?" Kutsuriuri fixed Han-Lin with a cold gaze, as if to freeze the lies in Han-Lin's throat.

"Maybe they were dissatisfied with my management?" Han-Lin said weakly. Kutsuriuri shook his head, and I almost wondered if he and I should leave the Mononoke to just kill Han-Lin.

"The seed of their hatred lies much deeper than a simple dissatisfaction," Kutsuriuri replied with a vehement edge. "Did you know these girls outside of work? Perhaps in their separate careers?"

Han-Lin was already shaking his head, though I could practically smell the slime dripping from his lies. "I didn't know they were prostitutes before you said something! Though it certainly figures," he said, a sneer forming on his face. "They always did seem like the type to whore them-"

A ringing slap echoed throughout the room as Kutsuriuri lost his composure and backhanded Han-Lin across the cheek. I reached out and grasped Kutsuriuri's wrist, bringing his gaze to my own amber one, tempering his frosty glare with my silent composure. As if he had read my mind, Kutsuriuri took a few calming breaths, closing his eyes and releasing the tension from his shoulders. I gently dropped his wrist, and he opened his eyes with a renewed determination.

"We will start from the beginning," he said, and his voice was surprisingly empty, a fact for which I was quite thankful. "When did you begin to employ the girls?"

Han-Lin was beginning to develop his snide authority in place of the sniveling coward he had been reduced to. "I don't have to tell you anything," he replied condescendingly, a somewhat malevolent glint in his eye. "I'm going to string you up for attacking me like you did just now! No one can get away with assaulting me like that! And _no_ one will get away with accusing me of murder!"

Kutsuriuri's nostrils twitched. "Once again, I did not accuse you of anything," he said emotionlessly. "This is twice now that you have slipped." He took two steps forward so Han-Lin had to crane his neck to look up into Kutsuriuri's face. "I will ask you once more: what is your connection to these girls outside of this establishment?"

A sudden wail broke through the barrier, but it was not the wail of the Mononoke. It was a human wail, a cry of grief and horror, and in that moment, Kutsuriuri and I knew that Han-Lin alone was not the target of the Mononoke.

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><p>Um...hi all. I refuse to offer any excuses this time as for why I'm such a horrible updater, because there aren't any good excuses. I ask for your forgiveness as a reader for my lack of punctuality, and I am going to try to stick to a schedule of updating every Sunday from here on out.<p>

On a happier note, we finally got to the good stuff! The Golden Warrior's sword is beginning to behave as we know it, and Han-Lin's going to get his butt kicked in the next few chapters (man I hate that character, and I even came up with him! Necessary evils and all that jazz). Thank you all for your patience with me, and I hope you enjoy the rest of our ride!


	20. Chapter 20

**Balance**

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><p>Hi all! I was able to keep with another Sunday update! The only reason I'm this late is because a day of work and the welcoming of a new Doctor (welcome, Peter Capaldi!) don't make for a productive day of writing...anyways, just wanted to give the more sensitive readers a heads-up: the last part of this chapter could potentially be seen as rather graphic, so if you're not comfortable with a little blood and guts, then just skip the italicized parts. Thank you all for your dedication as readers!<p>

* * *

><p>Kutsuriuri and I shared a worried look. Without a word, we both rushed to the door and were about to open it before a cry from Han-Lin stopped us.<p>

"Stop!" he cried, his fear once again overcoming his attitude. "If you break the barrier, they'll be able to get us!"

Kutsuriuri fixed his icy blue eyes upon him. "It will be some time before the seven are able to work up the strength to kill again, so it would be better for us to move to the most recent death so that we can piece together the puzzle," he replied. With a wave of his hand, the papers flew into a neat stack on his palm, and after shouldering his medicine box, we were followed out the door by a quaking Han-Lin.

We raced down the stairs, looking right and left for any commotion. It was not until we had exited the building that we noticed a gathering in the rice fields. I kept my pace slow so that I would not arrive at the scene before Kutsuriuri, but that did not stop me from smelling the blood even before I could see it.

As we drew closer, we recognized Foreman Yang trying to usher the other workers away from a body lying facedown, blood staining the water and edging away in seeping tendrils. It was one of the workers from the fields, her earthen brown tunic dyed a deeper color by the liquids soaking into the fabric.

Kutsuriuri pushed through the crowd of whispering girls, and Foreman Yang looked up. His face went from recognition upon seeing Kutsuriuri, to surprise upon seeing Han-Lin, to fear upon seeing me. I remembered then that I had been invisible to him earlier, and I tried to make myself look less threatening. Already the other girls were gasping and giving us space at the mere sight of me.

"Headmaster Han-Lin," Foreman Yang said, placing a fist against his palm and bowing. "I did not expect to see you."

Before Han-Lin could answer, Kutsuriuri addressed Foreman Yang. "My companion and I heard the screams, and we came to investigate," he explained. Foreman Yang looked slightly suspicious at Kutsuriuri's interest in the girls' murders and now this girl's death, but he said nothing.

"Girls, it'd be best for you to get to the warehouse," Foreman Yang said gently, trying to herd the girls away from the scene. Reluctantly, the girls left the fields, the shallow water lapping at their ankles and rippling against the tiny rice stalks.

As soon as the girls were out of earshot, Foreman Yang suddenly drew his sword and whipped it through the air until it hovered inches from my face. My golden eyes snapped and I jerked backwards.

"What are you doing?" Kutsuriuri asked angrily.

"This is the creature that killed those girls; I can sense it," he snarled.

"I told you, he is my companion!" Kutsuriuri retorted heatedly.

"Yeah? Well, where was he when you came by this field earlier? And for that matter, why are _you_, an outsider, so interested in those girls' murders?" Foreman Yang switched to pointing his sword at Kutsuriuri instead.

I could sense that Kutsuriuri was resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "This girl's death is the result of Mononoke – seven, to be exact," he explained. "The spirits of the ten girls that were murdered so brutally have festered into a hatred that has transformed them into Mononoke, and they have traversed the barrier between worlds to wreak havoc and to extract vengeance upon that which they deem lacking in justice. My companion and I –" he pointed to me, "have already sent three of the Mononoke back to the afterlife, but we are trying to send the remaining seven to the same place. We had been able to deduce that Headmaster Han-Lin was one of the targets, but we were not able to save this girl in the meantime. As for my companion's powers of invisibility…well, as you can see, he doesn't exactly look human." I rolled my eyes at this. "He can turn invisible if he doesn't want to startle anyone with his appearance." Kutsuriuri motioned for me to demonstrate, but I gave him a look and he stopped, barely succeeding in hiding a smirk.

Foreman Yang looked like his senses were warring against each other, but he finally sheathed his sword. "If I can help keep the rest of the girls safe, I will do everything in my power to help you," he said stiffly.

"As will I," Mai's voice sounded from behind us. I turned to see her tiny form, chin jutting out resiliently and a stubborn set to her jaw.

"Mai! You must go with the other girls," Foreman Yang's voice turned from suspicious to worried. Mai shrugged off the hands he placed on her shoulders.

"I overheard what you said about the Mononoke; suppose those girls feel a need to attack the rest of us? I want to be rid of them as much as you do," she said to us, and I admired her courage. Foreman Yang looked like he wanted to argue, but at that moment, the air around us became harder to breathe and the light was painted an orange-y red. Without a second thought, Kutsuriuri spread his arms, directing the papers with his magic to form a safe, enclosed space around us. Though the papers did not yet signal an attack by the Mononoke, I knew it would not be much longer before their strength was at full capacity.

"Mai," Kutsuriuri said gently. "I need you to tell me everything you know about this girl." He pointed to the unfortunate worker lying in the shallow water.

Mai took a deep breath, and Foreman Yang put an arm around her shoulders for support. "Her name was Sushira. She's worked here for about four years. I don't know where she lives or whom she might live with; she always kept a rather secretive life."

"Do you know if she might have any connection to the local brothel?" Kutsuriur asked.

Foreman Yang protested. "You dare impugn her honor? She has no association with that place!" he scowled.

Mai patted his arm, almost like a younger sister trying to placate an older brother. "It's alright, Foreman Yang," she said. "I do happen to know that she worked there. Many of the girls here worked at the brothel. After the crops failed three years ago, money was hard to come by…and many of us found other ways of earning money," she ended sadly.

"For clarification, do you know if the ten girls who were murdered also worked at the local brothel?" Kutsuriuri questioned.

"Yes. I know for a fact that all ten did," she answered. Kutsuriuri's eyes gained a triumphant gleam at that, but his face remained serious.

"Was there any animosity between the girls that you noticed?" he asked. Both Mai and Foreman Yang shook their heads.

"We're back to square one," Kutsuriuri muttered under his breath. He then returned his attention to Han-Lin. "How is it that ten girls who all worked in a brothel have some connection to you?"

"I have no connection to them!" Han-Lin retorted defensively. I groaned inwardly at the man who was causing us so many problems.

"He _is_ innocent," Mai said tentatively. "He's engaged to Lai Maliya."

Han-Lin's face went from scared but snobbish like a rat's to proud and pompous like a rooster's. "I _am_ engaged to Lai Maliya," he said. "She is one of the most wealthy and respected heiresses for miles around, and a union with her will be highly beneficial to my own status." My disgust for this oily, weasel-y man only deepened with each slimy word that dripped from his mouth.

Kutsuriuri glared at him. "A mere engagement has not stopped most men from taking advantage of a local brothel," he replied icily. Han-Lin's eyes widened in fear, and in that moment, both Kutsuriuri and I knew what had happened. The screams and howls of the Mononoke grew louder and louder, and I knew that we had minutes, if not seconds, before we would be under attack.

"You _did_," Kutsuriuri whispered. "_You_ were the murderer, and that is why the Mononoke are after you. You laid with a worker, _this_ worker," Kutsuriuri pointed to the girl lying in the water, "and she conceived. You did not know which girl was the one who would bear your child and thus expose your shame, so you set out to destroy all of the girls who worked both at the brothel and for you. _This_ is the Makoto, the Truth."

Suddenly, we were lost in a sea of images, flashing by our eyes like those of a memory.

_Han-Lin made his way towards the local brothel, his anticipation for the upcoming night rolling off of him in nearly-tangible waves…a darkly-lit room, filled with scantily-robed girls who also bore a mask, each mask carved into the shape of a cat…a sea of panthers, leopards, tigers, lynxes, and even some demure yet regal house-cats swam in front of his face…a white spotted-leopard looping a red silk scarf around Han-Lin's neck and dragging him into a pitch-black room…a silky voice repeating how glad she was that Han-Lin had returned to her for another night of pleasure and reminding him to expand his senses beyond that of sight as his robes were removed…a note a week later telling him that he was to break off his engagement with Maliya and instead marry the leopard, or his mystery lover would reveal to the world that she was bearing his child…Han-Lin's anger at being denied the ability to advance in social status…the anger festering until it became a desire to eliminate this girl…the plan forming in his mind to kill this girl…going through the girls whom he employed and who also worked at the brothel, and luring them, one by one, day by day, to a dark alley to secure their demise…his sick and perverted pleasure at whispering the words, "Now it is *your* turn to be the one without vision," as he plunged a knife into their eye sockets…his delight in continuing his engagement to Maliya after two weeks without any threats, only to return to a feverish insanity as the notes returned, this time with a vengeance…his continued exploits into the night to cleanse his workplace of any girls who also worked at the brothel…_

My sword gave one final, loud chink, and the paper barrier broke under the force of the Mononoke as a sudden rush of power, wind, and color erupted from my sword.


	21. Chapter 21

**Balance**

It was like nothing I had ever experienced before. My senses were lifted to the highest heights, my strength and speed exponentially increased from my previous power, and I was literally one with my sword. I breathed as it did, I devoured the Mononoke as it did, I sang with the battle as it did, I swung in an arc as it did. Colors and emotions ceased to matter; all that tied me from expanding to consume all of reality was the dragon's maw, hungrily seeking out the angry spirits.

The Mononoke let out infuriated and agonized shrieks as they sought to overpower me. I let out a gentle sigh, sweeping my sword slowly in front of my body, and yet even though it was slow for me, it was too fast for the three Mononoke before me to dodge. They burst into rainbow fragments at its touch, falling softly to the ground.

The remaining four split to attack from opposite sides, but I thrust my hands, palms outward, to either side of me. My sword floated at eye level in front of my face, and I closed my eyes in concentration. All I could hear was the pounding of the humans' and my hearts, but a glowing pressure from my sword, like light seeping through one's eyelids, grew brighter and brighter as the Mononoke seemed to run in slow motion at me.

With a snap, I opened my eyes, twisting my arms in front of my face before catapulting backwards. With a ferocity I had never known before, I drew upon my inner power and, guided by my hand motions, used that power to propel the last Mononoke into a collision with the sword, still hanging in the air. Their last shriek ended in the sound of exploding glass, a flash of bright light emanating from the epicenter and blasting everything within a 500-ft radius backwards. Only I remained untouched, hands folded together in front of my face from forcing the Mononoke to my sword and amber eyes blazing with golden light.

At last, it was over.

I could feel my breathing slowing, the gold paint on my arms dulling back to normal and my senses trickling down from that unnamable height. My vision flickered for a moment before I regained control of my own entity as being separate from my sword. With my sword having fallen to the ground to finish channeling the spirits, I picked it up and turned to face the humans.

Foreman Yang, Mai, and Han-Lin all cowered from me, eyes white with fear. My gaze fell upon Kutsuriuri, and it stung me a little to see astonishment and a tinge of wariness in his own eyes. I did not let it show, however, and I relaxed my form to look less threatening.

Nodding my head to Kutsuriuri, who stepped next to me, I spoke to Foreman Yang. "While we are not the judges of the living, you have heard the evidence against Headmaster Han-Lin. My companion and I trust that you will bring him to justice." Foreman Yang looked at the trembling Han-Lin, but it was Mai who answered me.

"We will see that the girls are avenged in a more healthy way," she said. 'Surely,' I thought to myself, 'this girl is a marvel among humans. She is wiser and more courageous than any other human I have met, save Aia.' Kutsuriuri and I bowed in respect to them, and then we turned and left them in our dust.

* * *

><p>"You're hurt."<p>

I looked up at Kutsuriuri. "Where?" I asked confusedly; the Mononoke had been unable to make a single scratch upon me.

He reached for my face, cupping it concernedly. "You haven't changed a bit after all these years," he said with a tired smile. I held still, unused to human affection such as this. "Whatever it was that happened this day, it is eating away at you, and you are hurting."

I sighed and sat down, crossing my legs. Kutsuriuri sat down next to me, patience lingering in his eyes. "So much has happened today…I learned that the boy I cared for still lives, but he has kept this knowledge from me."

Kutsuriuri looked slightly hurt that I was returning to that subject, but he did not snap at me. "Like I said earlier, I was worried that you would treat me like a little boy again after I realized that you had not purposefully run away from me all those years ago. I am not Aia anymore; I may look like him, and he will always be a part of me, but I am not him. I am who I am now; I am Kutsuriuri."

I gave him a genuine smile, and he relaxed and smiled back. I chuckled under my breath and apologized, "I'm sorry that I did not let you fight the Mononoke yourself back there."

He shook his head in admiring disbelief. "I've never seen you that powerful before," he said. Amazement pitched his voice slightly lower than normal. "You were like a whirlwind; it was as if you had control over every particle of the universe during those moments. Why haven't I ever seen you do that before?"

I shrugged. "I've never been that connected to my sword before. I never even knew that it was possible to connect with my sword on such an intimate level, but it felt so right being that in-tune with my weapon."

"I wonder…" Kutsuriuri's eyes glazed slightly as he thought. "I wonder if the connection with your sword was brought about by the noises it made. Do you remember how it clicked after each of my revelations of the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari?" I frowned, wondering if Kutsuriuri was, in fact, correct.

"In that case, it's going to take a lot more time to kill off the Mononoke we encounter," I smiled at him. He smiled back at me, the orange of the campfire flames clashing with the ice of his eyes.

He motioned for my sword. "Do you mind if I test it?" he asked.

"What do you intend to do with it?" I answered his question with a question.

"I will test it with my magic and see if I am right, that finding the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari will release the true potential of the sword," he returned. "Do you mind?" he once again held out his hand for my sword. I hesitated once before handing it over to him, careful to keep it sheathed should its deadly blade be released.

Kutsuriuri knelt on the ground, placing the sword on a green silk cloth he had drawn out of his medicine box. He placed a hand, palm facing the ground, on either end of the sword, leaning forward and closing his eyes. Nothing happened for a few moments, but I felt a slight pressure begin to build in my eardrums, and I noticed Kutsuriuri's shoulders shaking and hunching inwards as whatever strain he was enduring caused droplets of sweat to bead upon his brow. The pressure grew until suddenly, Kutsuriuri's head snapped upwards, his eyes opening wide to emit a blinding bright white light that also gushed from the open eyes of the dragon's head of my sword.

"Kutsuriuri!" I cried, jumping forwards and tackling him so that his contact with the sword was broken. We tumbled backwards, and I knelt next to him, reaching for his purple headscarf that had been knocked off. He groaned and opened his eyes, rubbing the back of his head where it had smacked the ground.

"What happened?" he asked groggily.

"Do you remember your connection with the sword?" I asked, handing him the scarf.

He took it and retied it around his hair. "I don't know how long I was connected just now; it was like I saw the fabric of time and reality spread before me. The truths of the entire universe were there, ready for me to see them, and so many flashed before my eyes that I could hardly remember why I had initiated the spell to contact the soul of the sword. I do remember, however, that I was right; the revelations of the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari release the full potential of the sword, connecting you and your sword on an unbeatable scale." His eyes told me that he was hiding something else, but I did not press him for it.

"Is your head alright?" I gestured, apologizing for tackling him. He gave me a wry smile. "I've had worse," he said, reaching for the tea brewing over the fire. "It's nothing that a good cup of tea won't cure."

Before we were able to do anything else, however, the scales, once again hiding in Kutsuriuri's box, begin to ring with a shrill and violent cacophony. Gooseflesh broke out all over my body, and Kutsuriuri shuddered as if struck by a cold blast of wind. The earth began to tremble, and suddenly split not one hundred feet from us, revealing an angry red chasm. From its depths came one taloned hand, then another, until a great black beast, shimmering iridescently like oil but gruesome in stature, clawed its way out of the bowels of the earth to stand before us in a column of flame.

All I could do was jump in front of Kutsuriuri, knowing in my heart that this was to be a clash with death that I would not come out of alive.

* * *

><p>Yay, I get to leave y'all with another cliffhanger!<p>

This chapter was a TON of fun to write! Oh, and that beast at the end? It really is going to kill our Golden Warrior. I'm not kidding. Spoilers, melodramatic, cliche, blah blah blah...the Golden Warrior is going to die. Stay tuned, folks, because from here on out is the final stretch!


	22. Chapter 22

**Balance**

I surveyed the Kihaku in front of me. It was by far the strongest Mononoke I had ever encountered, a malevolent, twisting mass of pure anger. I tasted metal and my vision was tinged with black and red, just from looking at it. I shut my eyes and drew upon my inner power to keep my balance and sanity.

It was when I looked directly at the creature through closed lids that I recognized it. The behemoth drew a shuddering step that rocked the earth before settling into a crouch closer to Kutsuriuri and I.

"Hello, old friend," it hissed, its voice a cacophony of deep basses and howls.

"You must use that term quite liberally should you deem me a friend," I countered coolly, bringing my sword up in front of my face.

The Kihaku chuckled, a shudder rippling along its body. "Come now, Baransu," it laughed, and I felt a shudder come over me as it spoke my name. "Is that any way to speak to your elder?"

I turned my gaze to Kutsuriuri, heart twanging in sympathy at how the Kihaku was affecting him. I drew upon my power again to envelop his tiny human consciousness, easing away the anger the Kihaku inflicted him with and bringing his mind into a union with my own. Our thoughts flitted back and forth like lightning, taking place in the span of the blink of an eye.

I could tell that Kutsuriuri was quite shaken by everything that was happening. 'It is alright, Kutsuriuri; I'm shielding you from the worst of its effects,' I whispered, mind-to-mind.

The mental breath Kutsuriuri drew was far from stable. 'You are acquainted with this Mononoke?' he asked.

'"Acquainted" is one way to put it,' I answered. 'This Kihaku is the spirit that birthed all Mononoke subsequent to it; it is the spirit of malevolence and vengeance, using its poisonous anger to turn the spirits of the afterlife. Even though your own spirit is housed in flesh, it still feels the tug of the anger. Two spirits awoke in response to its influence upon the souls of the dead: a spirit to remain in the Afterlife and bring peace to the souls of the afflicted, and myself to come to this side of the barrier and send the souls back to the Afterlife.'

'He called you "Baransu",' Kutsuriuri said. I flinched across our mental link, and I could feel Kutsuriuri's focus sharpen. 'Baransu is my true name,' I said after a pause. 'It means –' 'Balance, yes I know,' Kutsuriuri interrupted, causing us both to smile. He remained quiet for a moment longer before he spoke again. 'I never really wondered what your name was; I suppose it was just a different label for you, one that I knew deep down but that I never knew how to voice.' I smiled again.

'On a different note,' Kutsuriuri continued, 'how are we going to defeat this Kihaku?' My head drooped momentarily at the drain on my energy at maintaining this mental link, reminding me why I had never attempted it before. 'I don't suppose that you could unlock my sword again so that I can more easily defeat the Kihaku?' I grimaced.

'I can't feel anything from it right now; I think you'd have to unshield me so that I can determine the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari,' he said hesitantly. My fear spiked. 'I cannot do that! The poison of its anger would consume you!' I cried.

'You must!' Kutsuriuri replied forcefully. 'I cannot determine the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari unless I can experience the Kihaku fully, and you will not be able to fully fight the Kihaku unless you are at your full potential. Which you will _not_ be able to do if you are using up all of your energy to shield me and if you are not in tune with the Sword of Exorcism!'

I grimaced; as always, Kutsuriuri's wisdom was sound. 'Alright,' I conceded. 'I _will_ stop shielding you, but I will keep my mind open to you.' Kutsuriuri nodded, and with an uneasy shiver, I withdrew my shields from around his mind. The Kihaku was mid-step towards us, menacing as ever.

Almost immediately, Kutsuriuri groaned and fell to the ground, clutching his abdomen as his pale cheeks flushed red as though in a fever. His eyebrows drew together in anger, and the set of his mouth was just as furious. I could feel his mind struggling to overcome the poisonous feelings of the Kihaku, and it was not until I felt his willpower, like a clear bell, pierce through the veil of rage and begin to quest that I surged forward towards the Kihaku, drawing my sword and attacking.

The Kihaku gave a malevolent snort, like a beast before charging, and split into multiple forms. I could sense the drain in strength it had upon the Kihaku, and I focused my attacks on the smaller, weaker forms, quickly disposing of them and channeling them to the other side of the barrier. Giving the Kihaku another once-over, I noticed that even before I had attacked, it had not fully been in this world, although somehow it was leaking more and more of itself between realms. I did not focus my attention on what was drawing it to this world, instead working on overpowering the creatures striking at my sides.

I could feel Kutsuriuri address the Kihaku, and its reply startled Kutsuriuri even more than it startled me. "Puny human, do you not recognize me?" it chuckled maliciously. Kutsuriuri took an agonized breath, falling to one knee from where he had righted himself. I could see flashbacks flickering across our mental link. I caught a fleeting glimpse of two bodies that were probably pale beneath the sheen of blood covering their skin with wheat-blonde hair splayed around their heads, before Kutsuriuri stamped down on the images. I could feel the exertion it took to merely stand up and bring his own sword in front of his face as I frantically battled the smaller Kihakus.

"I know the Katachi," Kutsuriuri said with effort. "A soul of anger."

Nothing happened.

The Kihaku let out a bellowing laugh. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to defeat me, mortal," it snarled with what could be only described as a smile on its face. With that, it brought its hands together and blasted Kutsuriuri with a column of fire.

I raced over to Kutsuriuri and tackled him out of the way, the inferno scorching his wooden sandals. I did not check him over any further, instead diving back into the fray and praying that Kutsuriuri would be able to figure out the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari.

As I whittled away at the Kihaku's divisions, I could feel the main Kihaku pressing its consciousness against the mental barriers of willpower that Kutsuriuri had erected around his mind. The main Kihaku was still, as if its own exertions were occupying all of its strength.

"It is futile to resist me, insignificant one," it whispered in a voice of poisoned honey. "You know that you are angry; you've been trying your whole life to hide it. Your anger at the deaths of your parents…your anger at Baransu for leaving you behind…your anger at the Father for disowning you and casting you out, for refusing to acknowledge your skill in medicinal and arcane arts…yes," it hissed. "Feel the anger…let it come out, let it pour through your veins like hellfire, let it direct your soul."

I nearly let out a shout as Kutsuriuri's mental barriers dropped, and the Kihaku swarmed upon his mind like the oceans breaking a dam. However, I felt Kutsuriuri's intentions; as he drew the Kihaku into his mind, he saw more clearly the spirit's purpose. I groaned a bit and faltered in my attacks; the Kihaku's anger was seeping across Kutsuriuri's and my link.

Everything seemed to happen at once.

As I faltered, a Kihaku division scored a lucky blow on my torso, and I heard the crack of glass and felt a liquid seep through my sash.

The Kihaku divisions slowly vibrated into nothingness, only to rejoin with the main body of the Kihaku. The entire Kihaku froze, but I could feel its materialization from the Afterlife increase rapidly.

Once more, images flooded the link between Kutsuriuri and I. I saw the Kihaku's anger at how well the spirit of peace was countering its efforts to turn the souls into Mononoke, and I saw its resolution to come to this world to reign anew. I saw the death of his parents at the hands of the twisted Mononoke, and I saw the Mononoke plant what seemed to be a pulsing black-and-red sphere, about the size of a pea, within the young Aia. I saw that the Kihaku had been lying in wait, pulled out of the Afterlife by the bit of itself housed within Aia, and that its full connection with Kutsuriuri was what was completing the materialization. I saw Kutsuriuri realize this, and he fought against possession by the Kihaku.

Both he and I realized at the same time that opposition against the Kihaku's growing presence and strength within Kutsuriuri's mind was futile. With his last ounces of strength, he drew together his thoughts.

"Katachi: a desire to exist without opposition! Makoto: to possess a human soul and use it as a vessel! Kotowari: there is none!"

The Sword of Exorcism gave three loud chinks, the dragon's jaws clapping together and overpowering the howls of the Kihaku, and once again I was filled to the brim, unified with my sword.

I could not do anything, however, as the Kihaku finished traversing the barrier. Kutsuriuri doubled over in agony, and the visible form of the Kihaku descended upon his prone form. It dissolved into a shadow and converged with Kutsuriuri.

Kutsuriuri got up on one knee, lifting his head to look at me. His once-blue eyes were now a shimmering black, the blood vessels bursting slightly and gathering in droplets at the corners of his eyes. He stood up to his fullest, and though the Kihaku was housed within his flesh, his shadow showed the monstrosity contained within. He threw his arms outwards, and a burst of flame erupted from each palm, setting fire to the foliage on either side of him.

"Can you kill me now, Baransu?" he jeered at me.

* * *

><p>My sincerest apologies to my readers. I had this whole chapter typed up and ready to go to publish on Sunday...and the file got corrupted and I lost EVERYTHING that I had typed. I've spent the past four days trying to recreate my work, and unfortunately I won't be updating this Sunday (three days, two of which will be dedicated to college packing and unpacking, won't be enough to write the next chapter). Thank you all for your patience, and see you in two Sundays!<p>

And hey, cool! I got to the point where if I want to skip chapters, I get a scroll bar! YIPPEE that makes me so indescribably happy! I don't know why; it just means my story's really long. But it makes me feel accomplished ^_^

***Update (8.22.13):** I realized after publishing this that Kutsuriuri sounds a lot like a Horcrux...what can I say? Ms. Rowling had a good plot point when she thought of that idea. As such, I'm updating the disclaimer: I do not own any of the Mononoke characters, nor do I own the Horcrux-ish idea. I DO, however, own this particular Kihaku. I did a bit of research, and "Kihaku" is best translated as "spirit, soul, mettle, energy, force, or psyche", which I thought to be an appropriate terminology for the force that births all Mononoke. I am unsure if Kihakus are an actual thing in Japanese mythology, the way Mononoke and Bake Neko are, but I am using my "artistic license" for this bit, lol.


	23. Chapter 23

**Balance**

I drew my power into myself, analyzing the Kihaku's every move. With a snarl, it charged me, swinging Kutsuriuri's sword towards me, and our swords clashed with a blow that rang and echoed off of the mountains. It blasted a scorching beam of fire from Kutsuriuri's free hand, aimed at my face, and I batted his palm away from me, setting fire to a swath of trees that erupted into a crackling flame. I drove a punch towards Kutsuriuri's face, and was rewarded when my fist connected with his left cheekbone. However, though the Kihaku's power enhanced Kutsuriuri's physical prowess, it did nothing to strengthen his body as a vessel, and his skull cracked from the force of my blow. I cried out and leapt backwards from Kutsuriuri, terrified at the prospect of hurting my dearest friend.

The Kihaku looked at me, blood leaking from Kutsuriuri's left eye and a bruise blossoming on his pale cheek, glaring at me with absolute hatred. It circled me more warily, taking note of how I reacted with my sword and newly unlocked power. I anticipated that it was also drawing from Kutsuriuri's memories so as to garner more information on my enhanced power.

"Leave the vessel and attack me without restrictions," I ordered, my deep bass shaking the burning trees.

The Kihaku shook Kutsuriuri's head. "Even though this vessel is weak, it gives me an advantage over you," it hissed. Once again, it flew at me, wielding the sword in one hand and fisting the other. When I blocked its blow, it drove Kutsuriuri's fist into my elbow, and though the blow did nothing to my own limb, I heard and felt Kutsuriuri's knuckles crack and splinter. The Kihaku howled, once again glaring at me.

Watching the Kihaku, I realized that it would drive Kutsuriuri's body into disrepair, leaving a fractured bag of blood and bones. I could not activate my sword to exorcise the Kihaku unless I wanted to suck Kutsuriuri's soul from his body since both his soul and the Kihaku occupied the same vessel. I had to get the Kihaku to leave Kutsuriuri's body.

Taking the initiative this time, I grasped my sword in both hands and attacked the Kihaku in a quick succession of blows. Each blow I calculated so as to allow the Kihaku to easily block them, but I hoped by doing this that I would weaken Kutsuriuri's sword to the point of breaking. I had a plan, and I hated it with every fiber of my being, but it was my only option.

Finally, with a resounding crack that flattened the trees with the force of its power, Kutsuriuri's sword splintered into pieces, the jagged shards falling to the ground as if in slow motion and the enchantments with which we had imbued Kutsuriuri's sword breaking with a sound like bells. Within the span of a blink, I picked up the largest of the fragments, wielding the fragment in one hand and my sword in the other, and settled into a crouching position.

The Kihaku looked at the remaining part of the sword still connected to the hilt, then back at me, meeting my golden gaze with its hate-filled black. It too stooped slowly, picking up another fragment with which to fight, and I winced as I saw the blade cut into Kutsuriuri's delicate palm and broken fingers.

The Kihaku opened Kutsuriuri's mouth and exhaled a column of flame at my face. I ducked to avoid the inferno, and drove the sword fragment at Kutsuriuri's knees. I scored a lucky blow, hobbling my friend but piercing my heart with anguish. I saw a flash of Kutsuriuri's pale blue eyes overtake the pitch black of the Kihaku, but it was quickly extinguished. The Kihaku continued to glare balefully at me, and it once again swiped its sword in front of my face, just barely missing my nose.

I took in the sight of my possessed friend. A line of blood trailed from his eye, gracing over an ugly purple discoloration on his cheekbone. Droplets of his life dripped from his bleeding hands, and a growing stain on his trouser knee did nothing to hide the severed muscles of his knee. I swung my Sword of Exorcism at Kutsuriuri's bicep, drawing his balance to expose his ribs.

And with a desperate cry, I drove the fragment of Kutsuriuri's sword in my opposite hand into his lung.

The Kihaku let out a scream, and throwing back Kutsuriuri's head, it exorcised itself from his mouth in a streaming black cloud. With an unearthly howl, it moved opposite the clearing and began to coalesce into physical form of its own, and Kutsuriuri's broken body fell to the ground.

I dropped the fragment of Kutsuriuri's sword, tears dripping from my eyes, and immediately drew a salt circle around him to prevent the Kihaku from touching him again. I placed my hand against his brow, shaking, and drew upon all of my reserves of power to try and heal him. If I had not been in tune with my sword, I would not have been able to do this, but as I finished my intention, my power poured into Kutsuriuri's body, healing the deadly blows I had dealt him. Wiping the water from my eyes, I stood up quickly, activating my sword and facing the fully-formed Kihaku.

It was grotesque in form, a misshapen behemoth with the body of a boar, the feet of a tiger, the head of a snake, and the tail of a scorpion; each animal was symbolic of anger. It towered over my head, sixty feet in the air, and it loosed a roar that made me clap my hands over my ears.

Looking up at it, I lessened the drain on my strength that I was giving to Kutsuriuri, and I swelled my own size so that I stood regally at eye level with the Kihaku. I lifted my sword in my left hand, holding it horizontally in front of my face.

"Prepare to meet your judgment, Ikari," I said, and with an upward drive of my fist, I sent the Kihaku flying into the sky with the force of my power. It roared at me, extending its deadly claws on the way down, but I lassoed it with my power and pulled it even faster into the ground, falling to one knee as the force of its impact with the earth knocked me off of my balance and opened a network of chasms in the ground from the crater left by the Kihaku.

The Kihaku's scorpion tail flashed out of the pit and struck my left thigh, and a groan of agony slipped through my teeth. I leapt up into the air and landed with all of my force on the edge of the pit, driving a cascade of rocks and boulders into the pit. The Kihaku roared, and with a flash of power, it exploded through the rocks and back up to meet me.

I charged the Kihaku again, anger fueling my attacks. The Kihaku blocked my sword each time by stinging my arm with its tail, each blow leaving my arm more and more shredded. When the blood sheeting down my arm and the pain became too much, I switched arms, and renewed my fervor.

"You sought to disrupt the balance of this world by possessing a human, and you used him _and_ me as each other's' weaknesses. You took a family from a boy who hardly had six years with them. You disrupt the balance of the entire cosmos because you needed to feel as though you were being effective," I snarled at it. Each sentence ended with me driving a strike against the Kihaku's face, and on the last one, I drove my sword into its eye socket, and the Kihaku let out a scream.

However, instead of exploding into a million fragments, the Kihaku gave me a smile full of antagonistic glee. "How little you know, Baransu; you cannot get rid of me _that_ easily."

With that, it grabbed my leg and smashed it between its claws.

I collapsed, screaming, the broken remnants of my bones doing nothing to support my weight. The force of my fall dragged my sword out of the Kihaku's eye, and it growled. I gathered up some of my power through the haze of pain, and blasted the Kihaku away from me so that it crashed into the mountainside.

Groaning, I made a quick set of my bones so that it would last me for the rest of the fight. I realized that my anger, the anger that had infected me over my mental link with Kutsuriuri, was what was still anchoring the Kihaku to this realm. Gathering my resolve, I prepared once again to face the Kihaku that was racing towards me.

I left my sword floating in midair and attacked the Kihaku with my bare hands. Each blow I drove into its form left it screaming in pain, though none of my blows were as effective as my sword. I did not want it just yet; I had to incapacitate the Kihaku so that I could then deal the mortal blow with my sword.

With a burst of power that left the Kihaku shuddering with weakness, it blasted me away from it, and I fell onto my shattered leg. I nearly blacked out then and there from the pain, but through the white haze that was my vision, I saw the Kihaku limping towards me. I tried to get up, but the Kihaku summoned its remaining power to bear down on my head, weighing down like a ton of rocks. What little vision I had left diminished to a pinhole as I lost even the power to keep my sword floating in the air, and I saw it fall and clatter to the ground.

The Kihaku stood before me, dripping with sweat and blood. Its hold on its physical form flickered, though whether it was from its own weakness or my disappearing vision, I could not tell.

"Die, Baransu," it said, and I screamed as it plunged its scorpion tail straight into my heart.


	24. Chapter 24

**Balance**

I lay on the ground, half-paralyzed, as the Kihaku's poison spread through my veins, the journey as torturous as barbed honey. I could feel the anger infecting me, anger at its victory, anger at my failure, anger at the world, anger at the balance of things, anger at fate…moving my arm in an agonizingly slow fashion, I reached into my waistband for the vial of healing tonic, but I only felt my fingers slide against glass shards that cut through my skin. Feeling my failure subdue all hope, I realized that the Kihaku division from earlier had broken the vial; I was doomed to finally die.

I couldn't let it end like this.

Using every technique I knew, I flooded my body with peace and tranquility, driving the anger from my veins and thoughts. I forced myself not to feel anger or fear, using my focus to cleanse the poison of anger, though I could not counter its effects. Pain spiked in my brain, and I saw sparks shoot across my sight as I watched the Kihaku collapse and try to regenerate itself. Gasping for breath, I closed my eyes and completely severed all hold on my life, using everything I had to lift my sword and plunge it into the Kihaku's back.

I heard it give one final scream, and then we both exploded into a myriad of colors and were sucked through the portal that was the dragon's maw.

It was like the facets of a diamond, sparkling with moments that winked past and blurred into other images. I had no peripheral vision because I could see everywhere at once. I had no need to process colors and sounds because I just knew. I knew the past, I knew the present, I knew the future.

I felt something brush my consciousness, and if felt familiar, oh, so familiar…Languidly, I turned my attention to this presence, and shock passed through my thoughts as I beheld Kutsuriuri standing before me. The visions faded into a soft yellow glow as I looked at his familiar colorful kimono, his torn blue leggings, his soft purple headscarf, and his pale face with only the purple paint on his upper lip. His blue eyes were haggard and drawn, and his limbs shook slightly. Filled with both sorrow and joy, I surged towards him and wrapped him in a comforting embrace. He breathed deeply into my golden robes, threading his fingers into the silken cloth.

"Of all the things I expected, seeing you in the Afterlife was one I had hoped to postpone," I said, chuckling into his hair.

"I'm not dead," he said matter-of-factly. My breath hitched, and he elaborated. "I'm in contact with the Sword of Exorcism," he said. Focusing my attention, I indeed saw him in the past, awaking from his wounds, not fully healed but not in any mortal danger. I saw him take in the aftermath of the battle, scrambling over to the sword that channeled away my essence and the essence of the Kihaku. I saw him scream at the sky and rend his garments, tears tracking down his face. I saw him place his palms face-down on either side of the sword, delving deep into what remained of his power, threading it into the sword and entering into this realm. I looked into the present and saw his physical body still kneeling there, blinding white light pouring from his eyes and the mouth of the dragon.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way," I said gently. "The Kihaku was too powerful for me, and in killing it I had to sacrifice myself. But you'll kill yourself, as well, if you keep this connection to this realm; we have to say goodbye."

Kutsuriuri took his face out of my robes and looked at me, his eyes slightly red. "I can't live without you. My years without you were the worst I've ever lived, and the years I've lived with you have been the best that anyone can ever hope for. And not only do I need you, but the balance of the world needs you. Sending the Kihaku back here only partially righted the balance, and you know it."

I frowned gently at him. He looked me in the eyes and said, "You're in touch with all of reality now, too. When I connected with the sword earlier, it revealed to me the process by which I can partially bring you back to this world. You will be able to keep the balance –"

"No, Kutsuriuri!" I interrupted forcefully, pushing him back so that I grasped him by his thin shoulders. "I can see what you intend to do, and it asks too much of you! You'll be stuck in a semi-immortal state for as long as there are Mononoke to combat! You will not age, and you will not be able to enjoy the comforts of living, such as eating and sleeping! You will have to forsake any possible attachments you could form with other humans! I will not have you sacrifice yourself just so the balance can be restored," I said firmly.

Kutsuriuri treated me to his icy glare. "How do you know what I am willing to give up to be with you?" he snapped. "This isn't just the balance of our own existences that I'm considering; I'm considering the balance of the entire cosmos. I have dedicated my life already to protecting the innocents of this world, and if that means giving up the mortal world for a life with you, a life with balance, then it is a sacrifice I am willing to make," he said stubbornly.

Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, and I drew Kutsuriuri to my body once again. "How strong you've grown, how selfless you've always been," I whispered in his ear. "Here, we can see the past, present, and future, and looking into the future, I see that you and I will always be together, always a part of each other." Kutsuriuri wrapped his arms around my waist at this. "As always, you speak with wisdom. I give my consent to join with you, if you will in turn formally give your own consent."

"Do you even have to ask?" he mumbled from my robes. We both chuckled at this, his light, breezy laughter with my powerful, reverberating bass.

Stepping back, we stood slightly apart, our palms touching yet our arms spread apart. Closing my eyes, I drew a deep breath, and opening my mouth, I exhaled a small golden ball of light. It floated between our heads, and whispering ancient words of power, Kutsuriuri grasped the ball with his hands.

I jerked as he touched the light, and he was suddenly snatched from my presence. The consciousness of the past, present, and future around me fragmented and shattered, leaving a black isolation behind it as the chunks fell into an abyss I hadn't known I was floating above. I grasped my head in my hands, collapsing onto my knees as a horrible keening laced the air with pain, fear, and emptiness.

Growing slowly, I felt the consciousness from before being built back up around me, though it was subtler and muddled, as though I looked at it through water. I realized that this was how I was to live from now on, with a foot in both worlds, neither here nor there but present enough in both to see just a little.

As the one half was built, the half of myself in the afterlife, so was the other half in the mortal world. I could feel myself being engrained into Kutsuriuri's mind, slowly feeling what he felt, seeing what he saw, and knowing what he knew. I could feel our body arching its back as the initial horror of being invaded by this foreign consciousness took its toll. I could feel our fingers clawing at the grass, and I felt a groan escape our lips.

We both screamed as a light seared our face, carving into our skin. Angry red marks erupted into our pale flesh, for all the world looking like red paint, in the shape of a line down our nose and liner around our eyes with three small spokes extending from each eye.

After the light finished its torturous journey, we felt my connection being sealed with the sword. We would remain in the same body unless the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari were discovered, and only then would I be unlocked. We both gave a final cry as our minds were fully melded, and a blast of light erupted from our body, flattening anything that had been left standing after the initial battle.

And with a last breath, the ordeal was over.

We slowly swam back to consciousness, blinking our eyes and rubbing our head as we sat up. Our medicine box sat off to the side, and the Sword of Exorcism was in our hand, looking for all the world as if it were grinning up at us. Exhaling, we stood up, slipping into the straps of the box and straightening our back to our fullest height. Grasping the sword in our left hand, we lifted it horizontally in front of our face, the bells chiming a new beginning. We were ready.

We were the Balance.

* * *

><p>I...I'm done. I can't believe it. I feel like I should keep this going, but this story is over. Wow. I can't believe it.<p>

Again, thank you ALL, you wonderful people you, for sticking with me all this time and reading my story with such love and dedication! I hope that you all enjoyed the journey we have taken with the Golden Warrior and with Kutsuriuri; I know I have. Lots of love for all your support, both for me and for this wonderful fandom!


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